What to do when it is COLD out...

On those below zero days when it's so cold your coffee freezes...

 

...and there is nothing but snow to be seen; here is a fun thing to do.

Take a small to medium size pan of water and bring to a boil. Carefully take it outside and throw the water up in the air!

We has a lot of fun with this one morning!!

...Spirals...

I was looking through a book from the library a couple weeks ago and enjoying the creative ways they used knit fabric to embellish garments. They showed a sundress that had spirals sewn all over the skirt, which I though was a neat idea.  Then I remembered a blue skirt in my closet with a few little stains on the front that would not come out.  So I thought, "Why not cover them up with spirals?"  I had a pink T-shirt that was too big for me, so I cut circles out of it and cut them into spirals.  

I also added some black ones.  

Just for fun.

 

I set to work happily pinning then all over the front and around one side of the skirt...what fun!  Once I started sewing them on I realized it wasn't so easy to hand sew through two layers of knit fabric.  But it was fun to work on anyway, it just took longer than I thought it would!  (And I ended up with a curved sewing needle at the end!)

The finished skirt!  I really like it!  =)

Now I have my eye out for other things I can sew spirals onto.....hmmm...

Thrift store finds!

A few days ago we stopped at a thrift store on our way through a large town about 2 hours from us.

I was delighted to find this glass serving dish with silver-plated base and handle...and it was only about $5.50! 

It will be very useful for serving treats at teas!

I also bought this set of silverware that has what seems to be an 'E' on the handles.

We like old cutlery at our house.  :)

What bargains have you found at a thrift store lately?



Vintage Advice: Hats

"Besides making you pretty, hats should be functional.  In winter they should keep your ears warm.  In summer they should shade your eyes.



Whatever the style, they should fit securely and flatter your face from every angle.

Many woman virtually ignore hats in their wardrobes, a tendency to be mourned.  Historically and romantically, hats have been a symbol of a woman, yet today men wear more hats than women - which is a deplorable situation. 
Don't shun hats." 

 From the book:  Wife-Dressing by Anne Fogarty 1959

Too many books?

How about a bookshelf and staircase all in one? 

Looking up...

 


...and looking down.



I thought this was amazing.  I don't think I would necessarily want it in my house, since I would probably get distracted by all the books and fall down the steps.  But I love to see someone being so creative with the space they have. =)

Character

 

"Hard physical work builds character.  Once you have done hard work, everything else comes much easier.  And what is Character?  Character is having the ability to see beyond this second in time and to persevere beyond what feels good.  

It is learning the self-discipline to make your body do more than your feelings want to.  

It is training the mind to overcome the flesh.  

It is one thing to read about characters in a book and aspire to do hard things.  

It is another thing to practice it.  

Practicing character traits happens with work."  

~ Kim Brenneman in the book: Large Family Logistics

Charlie bit my finger - again !

Tea with Friends

Yesterday we drove over to spend the afternoon with friends.

        Navigating "The Pass"

   The S. ladies wearing their lovely shawls from Russia.

  We had a delightful time having a show-and-tell of hand work projects!

  Elsa's "anti-love-the-earth-movement" bag!

:)

                                     

        The lovely tea table. Isn't the centerpiece beautiful?!

They served us fruit, ginger cookies, Maple Twists, and Norwegian flatbread with butter.  So delicious!

    Hannah serving the tea.

My cup of Jasmine tea served in Maren's Russian china!

 

They have the most beautiful fern. 

Although Mrs. S. did say it was much smaller than usual!

We had a delightful time - it was a good day!

Confidence

"Confidence in the Lord is a purposeful decision, 
replacing an emotional reaction to one's circumstances." 
~ John MacArthur