Friday, June 27, 2008

Sam and the Bird of Paradise




Hello?
I'm cute aren't I?
Careful I bite!
AHAHAHAHAHA!!!! (insert scary, evil laugh here).
thank God I'm not nursing! :)
And I made a bird.
Have a great day!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Curtains


I have new kitchen curtains!
Our old ones were dark and drab and I wanted something light and happy! I found this fabric by Joel Dewberry on Sew Mama Sew. I love it!
The pattern was very simple and it was so enjoyable to be working with this fabric! Now I'm wondering what to put in my upstairs bathroom!
And I couldn't post without adding some pictures of the boys.
John and I enjoyed the first watermelon of the season getting as messy as possible, just as it should be!
A few weeks ago we went out to see my parents in Pennsylvania. We had a great time being in their home and spending time with them. I'm sorry for those of you we did not see while we were there but it was a last-minute whirlwind trip and as most good things do, it went by too fast!
Sam and Dad enjoyed getting to know one another. Sam's full name is Samuel J. Edwin Brewer the J is in honor of my father James. And the Edwin has been a Jeffery family name for generations. So Dad and Sam have a special bond. :)
Here John is with his most treasured possession, his "white bwandet" and Grandma Jeffery who made it for him. Grandma has fifteen grandchildren and we are all multiplying like rabbits so she has a number of great grandchildren. She makes one blanket for each grandchild's family so she doesn't have to make one for each baby who comes along.
And that's what's been going on in the Brewer household!

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Cozy John


John's quilt is finally finished!
I think blogging about it the other day made me feel more accountable to get it done faster. It all came together quickly and I'm really pleased with how it turned out! John was really excited about it while I was stitching away and kept trying to snuggle up in it while it was still full of pins!I can see that quilting is going to be yet another artistic addiction but when we're all cozy this winter with our handmade goods I'll be happy for it!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

The Table

To me, tables are the center of hospitality.
Chris and I love having people in our home for both informal and formal events. I am never happier than when there is laughter and good food in my home (especially if someone else is doing the dishes!). Chris is an amazing cook and is always trying something new (check out his blog for more on this). The times we have had with friends and family around our table are some of my favorite memories.
But during the summer we liked being outside and we have inherited a beautiful deck from Mark and Stacy but alas, no table!
Chris then amazed me with his woodworking skills and whipped up a table in a day! (why is this man in seminary?)
It sat for a winter with only a coat of primer on it until a month ago when I finally painted it. (is any one picking up on my tendency to procrastinate?)
We had seen a few tables with wild colors and patterns all over and we really liked them. I'm really glad I didn't start painting when we had our first ideas because it would have been hideous. Time mellowed our plans and this is what we came up with!
I don't have the steadiest hand with a paint brush but I enjoyed working with a medium I am not familiar with. Chris also made the benches with some wood that his company was throwing away. He is full of suprises!
It is so nice to be able to entertain outside now. We have added some hanging candles and potted plants so our outside feels as inviting as our inside!
God has blessed us with wonderful family and friends and it's great to be able to open our home to give back to them.

When they're asleep...

...this is what I've been up to.
There are some amazing blogs out there of women who are incredibly talented at crafting and photography...this is not one of those blogs. I love to make things but the pictures I take of them are not artistic. They merely serve the purpose of getting the information across. "I made this and this is what it looks like."
That said...here is part of what I've been making in my seven month absence from the blog.
This is a mobile I made for our living room last fall. I had been dreaming of a mobile for years but could never get the design down. Then one day it all came together and here it is. It has survived multiple attacks from John but sadly one of the birds is now without wings.
I made this purse for my sister for Christmas. The pattern also came from Amy Karol's "Bend the Rules Sewing". If you are scared of sewing but want to try it, buy this book. It's excellent! I enjoyed making this purse and had a hard time giving it away.
I have been working on a quilt for John for the past few months. He has moved to his "big boy bed" recently and needs something snugly to sleep with. It was fun to pick out the fabrics and piece them all together. Machine quilting it however was not so fun. It definitely is going to look like a first quilt but most people have the sense to not try a twin sized quilt for their first time. I need to trim it and bind it and then I can start on Sam's matching one...someday.

I also enjoy working with paper but I never know what to call my creations. I love making cards but I also like to write out verses of Scripture or quotes and put them in a collage of sorts. Is that what it is? A collage? I'll go with that from now on.
This first one is a quote from "Lord of the Rings" that a friend of mine liked. The paper I used is from "Basic Grey". I love all their stuff and have a hard time cutting into it. I wish they made fabric with these prints!
This is my favorite verse, Philippians 4:8. I have to be so careful of where I am dwelling. Often I get stuck on the wrong things. (warning! soapbox ahead!) I always thought this verse was talking about thinking dirty thoughts ((gasp!)) and was mostly for boys. (since they're the only ones who think dirty thoughts right?!) :)
But I've found that this verse means so much more. It addresses worry and gossip and negativity and a host of other things. What we dwell on is so vital to our mental and emotional state of being. God has given us so much good to dwell on but so often we choose what isn't true (lies we are believing or things that haven't even happened yet (worry)). I keep this verse on my fridge where I can see it at all times because I often have to catch myself dwelling on other things than what is true.
...sigh...
I'm off my soapbox.
In keeping with my little old lady tendancies I have taken up embroidery! I think once you start to quilt, embroidery is not very far off. I have grand plans for a quilt for the family room and it involves a lot of embroidery. So I downloaded some patterns and went to it. It's really relaxing and full of immediate gratification which I am a big fan of.
I'm so glad that God has given us the ability to create. It's so enjoyable and fulfilling for me. Thanks for looking!

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Poor Unphotogenic Sam

(Look! Two posts in one week! Ha!)
It seems that Sam is as unphotogenic as his mother. I promise you, in real life he is really cute! He has the best laugh and his smile lights up his whole face if not the whole room. So I thought I would post some of his better pictures from the last few months so you will believe me. :)
See?!! He is cute!
I think he looks very handsome and pensive in this shot.
And for the record he does have hair, it's just blonde and very fine. He is quite different from his hairy older brother but I'm sure it will even out someday! :)
That's John with his friend Sammy Bergwerff (isn't she lovely?!).
Craftiness coming soon!