Hopeful Homemaker

A few things

January 18, 2012 jennifer Happy Finds

Just thought I’d share some little things I’m enjoying lately…

These little toes, combined with ruffled leggings, are tugging at my heart:

This message is so simple, so applicable and so motivating that I can’t quit thinking about it. We’re talking a lot about it at the dinner table this week.

Speaking of the dinner table, I made this soup last week and it was amazing. Full of flavor + healthy and it was good for me to cook with ingredients I’m unfamiliar with. I doubled the recipe and everyone ate it really well. We only had 1/2 cup left.

I’ve never made a layered red velvet cake. I’d like to try this one . Maybe for Valentines Day? Speaking of Valentines Day, why is it that I have a couple dozen things I’m itching to try/make for the holiday?

It’s been a while since I’ve done much embroidery, but this alphabet sampler has me sorely tempted. I’m thinking I would stitch it on a dark gray or navy blue fabric.

My sister and I are taking this online sewing class together in February. I’m really excited to learn how to sew curves and I plan to make this quilt once I’ve mastered them. Isn’t it pretty?!

Back in December I promised myself that if I finished my Christmas cards I could join pinterest. Well, they’ve been having problems for weeks now and their “create an account” page always takes me to an error. I really hope they fix it soon. In the meantime, I love all of these pins . So much of my favorite colors in here: aqua, white, red/pink and lots of vintage.

I’ve never worn perfume because it gives me a headache, but my husband gave me this for Christmas and I love it! Flowery and fruity but not too perfumey. I wear it every day and it doesn’t bother me at all!

It’s turning out that this week is much busier than I’d prefer, lots of appointments and such. I find myself disliking it, not because the busyness is unpleasant, but because I don’t like the disruption from the schedule I’m trying to live. I feel like I have so little time for things, it’s hard to give up that time!

I hope you’re having a great week!

Jennifer

Janie & Jack

January 17, 2012 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

I stumbled upon the store, Janie and Jack , entirely by accident during the Christmas shopping season. I walked in and two thoughts hit me simultaneously:

1. Yes! I can’t believe I’ve never seen this before! I have five daughters!
2. It’s a really good thing I’ve never seen this before! ($$$ in my head) So, it’s my new favorite children’s clothing store even though I can’t afford it. Their clothing is beautiful, high quality, and well, the style I love. I scoured the clearance rack and came away with new dresses for three of my girls, all at a great price. {thank goodness for clearance racks!} With shopping bags and coordinating gift boxes that look like vintage wallpaper, I was smitten.

I had already decided I didn’t want to buy more “Christmas” themed dresses; we have enough of them. But I did want to get all of the children something new to wear to church. So on Christmas morning my younger three girls went to church in these:

And for Easter I would LOVE to be able to put my two year old in this dress . Sigh. Having seen it in person I’m pretty sure it’s the cutest dress I’ve ever seen. If you can afford $150 per outfit, you should head there. If you’re like me and you only think of $150 in terms of utility and grocery bills then you can join me in drooling. Either way, pretty is pretty.

Let’s get something straight. I know that clothing and stores and dresses mean very little in the big scheme of things. But I also know this, that every girl who grows up dreaming of having a family has, included in her dreams, little pictures of the cute clothes they’ll wear, pictures of little girls twirling in pretty dresses and little boys looking dapper in their shirts and ties. I had those dreams. I want to remember that I lived them, too. My children don’t wear a lot of high end clothes, but they look nice. They look clean. And the dresses, oh the dresses. I have been so blessed to watch many a girl twirl in their pretty dress and felt that clench of joy in my heart that accompanies it. I want to remember that feeling. Soon everyone will be choosing their own clothes, then buying their own clothes, and then I’ll be watching them twirl in white wedding dresses. My heart will break a little, but in breaking I hope it will also burst with joy, and that I’ll discover the bursting allows it to grow even more.

Until then, I’m treasuring all the little girl moments with cute clothes and pretty dresses that I can get. Because I love it, and I guess part of me is still a little girl, too, except that they look a whole lot cuter in their dresses than I do in mine.

Last Three Blocks!

January 16, 2012 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

At last, I’m finished with the blocks for last year’s quit along! Here they are:

I liked this first block. It’s different. I like the subtle chevron pattern that would emerge if you made several of them and lined them up next to each other.

This second one I’m not thrilled with, but at least it’s done, right!

The last one I really like. It’s a beautiful block, and my favorite blocks in this quilt have been the blue and gray ones, so no surprises here. I’m so in love with that blue and white polka dot and I used almost all of it for this quilt. I hope someday to find more of it.

I don’t think I’ve ever heaved such a sigh of relief while sewing than I did when I finished this block. It was TEDIOUS. I counted when I finished, and there are 64 different pieces of fabric in that 12.5 inch block.!!???!?!?? I started the year thinking I wanted to make more complicated quilts, or at least a quilt with some little tiny pieces in it, but after this block I’m not so sure. I don’t know if I have the patience for it.

So, all 16 blocks are finished. Now I need to trim them, add the sashing, and figure out how to quilt it.

Do you ever just wish you could go straight from not knowing how to do something to being good at it in the blink of an eye? I know that’s a very adolescent thing to wish for, wanting to have the blessing of a skill without first paying the price, but in this one thing I still wish for it. I wish I knew how to do free motion quilting without going through the pain of ruining fabric while learning BUT like everyone else I’ll have to just get started and mess things up until I learn. I really want to learn it, so why do I dread it so much? {This whole paragraph just screams “perfectionist”, doesn’t it?}

For now I’m just happy these blocks are completed. Hooray!