Something Sew Small

It has taken six months or so but I finally got the kitchen window treatments completed!

I say that excitedly in type but in reality it does seem more like a statement followed by a less than enthusiastic sigh. It was not a difficult task per se and yet it has taken all this time! I can procrastinate like it's nobody's business.

The kitchen gets sun in the morning from the southeast streaming through the back door and window next to it. In the afternoon we have to wait until the sun moves around to the other side of the house. We don't get good natural light until late in the afternoon. For these reasons I really don't want to cover the windows much. A "dream home" for me would be one where no window treatments were needed at all.... like this:

Source

Source

I knew I wanted to mount the treatments high enough to just cover the window frame at the top but not obscure the light. I wanted them clean looking. The hardware needed to be simple. When shopping I realized that curtain rods would be a major problem, especially at the window adjacent to the back door. The old window treatments were on spring rods fixed inside the window frames so I never gave it a thought before now. Come to think of it, maybe that is why I had done spring rods before-I really can't remember.

The window frame almost touches the bathroom door frame. No room for
a curtain rod.

I really want extra colors in the kitchen to come from accent pieces leaving the foundation neutral. I also wanted something that could be washed. I looked at several semi-custom valances to buy but all of them were dry-clean only. I have a smaller kitchen and grease, smells, ect. need to be washed away occasionally. And, well, we're messy. I realized I was going to have to bust out my sewing machine partly because I wanted something I could launder that still looked nice and partly because I was too cheap to pay what they wanted in the stores. Let me preface the rest of this post by saying I am not a seamstress. I can sew straight lines....sometimes. (I use dressmakers chalk or washable quilting pens and draw on my fabric sometimes if a straight line is proving too difficult.) I found a fabric that I thought worked well with the wall color.  This is what I settled on. I had a Groupon coupon that I used to purchase my fabric making it very affordable!

I scoured the internet and found the shape of the valances I wanted. I did end up modifying it a bit.

Source
This was my inspiration.

I measured the windows (width including the window molding) and went to work. The three windows were roughly the same, give or take an inch, or so and I adjusted for that on each valance as needed. I took some craft paper and drew out my pattern based on the smallest window making sure to leave enough for a 5/8" seam allowance. I also added 31/2" to either end for the wrap around. Each valance will have a return on both sides back to the wall to cover the mounting board. Before cutting the pattern out I folded my paper in half  to be sure that the pattern was perfectly symmetrical.  I pinned my pattern to the fabric and cut out my piece then cut out a piece for the lining. Right sides together, I sewed the pieces leaving room open at the top to turn it right-side out. I clipped my corners and notched the curves so that everything would lay flat. Once that was completed I turned it right-side out and ironed it smooth. At the very top I sewed the loop part of hook-and-loop tape to the lining side of my valance closing up the opening I used to turn it out. I did not want to put the hook side of the tape on the curtain for fear that it could catch on the fabric and pull it when I wash them.


 I did one at a time which turned out to be a very smart move because I pulled a major rookie mistake.  I am working with a geometric pattern and I did not take that into account while cutting my fabric as I was excited to just get going on this. When all was said and done, sewing, mounting, ect. THEN I noticed my pattern was off. Ugh! I know better than that!

Can you see the pattern at the top and the bottom! It still makes me mad!

Well, that took the wind out of my sails.....for weeks. Christmas was on the way and I did not have time for these things, I told myself, so it got put aside. Queen of procrastination. You could catch glimpse of it here in a photo from my Christmas post:

I eventually made it back and completed my oh so delayed mission.

To mount the valances I cut pieces of 1x3 to extend 1/2" on either side of my window molding. I wrapped each piece in the white lining fabric I had used on the valances and secured the fabric with a staple gun. I then used a staple gun to attach the hook part of the hook-and-loop tape to the edge of three sides of the wood.

 I used L-brackets to secure the wood above each window.

You can see the hook-and-loop already attached.

Once the board was secure I put up the valance. Here is where that extra amount of fabric on the ends was important because of the wrap-around effect on the ends of the wood.

Pay no attention to my yet unfinished island.... another project waiting...

I did remake a valance for the window next to the back door. I thought originally that I would dress the window on the door but can't figure out what to do there.

I think it would look odd right next to the window and the height it would have to be mounted at on the door is an issue. For now I am not going to dress it at all. This project wasn't so hard but did require I pay close attention to the pattern. A small floral pattern or solid material would have removed that level of difficulty but where is the fun in that? All-in-all I am pleased with the overall project and glad finally have that off my to-do list.

There are other projects waiting.....


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Good For Use

Thanks for stopping by! Grab a cup of tea. I have been doing a little cleaning so please forgive the mess. Let me tell you how it got started.

While reading a recent thread on a facebook page someone had commented on their tarnished silver and how it doesn't bother them. "Me, too", I thought. Then I started looking around at my silver pieces. I have quite a bit of it. I did not purchase most of it. I inherited it from my grandmother and great-grandmother. Life was different for them. Entertaining in their lives was something more formal and special. I can only imagine paper plates and red solo cups would have been a major social faux pas. My pieces are beautiful. I love the curves, the shine....

Some of my grandmother's and great-grandmother's silver.
This picture fills me with anxiety!

Well, truth be told I was missing the shine part but it doesn't bother me. Right? Wait, it didn't bother me. Of course, I haven't been using these pieces because they are tarnished. It is a big chore to clean all that silver. As I looked around at the rooms that have silver pieces the tarnish started to bother me- rreeaallyy bother me. Ugh! Okay. Do I just like the tarnish because it is easier to live with than to get rid of? Hmm. I felt a lesson brewing but pushed forward. 

I pulled three pieces. I will start there. I grabbed the one piece that was almost black with tarnish.

 I know! Tarnish doesn't happen over night. It is weeks and months of dust and dirt left unchecked. That is really bad for silver, blah, blah, blah. I know! I had some leftover Twinkle hiding somewhere from that last time I got this crazy urge. I also found some Tarn-x but couldn't remember why I bought it since the bottle was still pretty full. When I opened the bottle and poured some out it became abundantly clear! That stuff STINKS!! What is in there? I will stick with the Twinkle.

That first dish took me over an hour to clean up. It was that nasty. I was talking to myself the whole time; chastising myself for allowing such corrosion to take place and not keeping it in check with regular cleanings. As I rubbed and the black lifted I could see glimpses of shininess that kept me motivated but I was thinking maybe I will just get this one piece done for the day- that will be enough. There has to be an easier way than this. After rinsing out my sponge more times than I cared to count I finally washed the piece off and buffed it up with a dry towel. It was not as clean as I had thought. I had to repeat the process several times before it really was clean.

I could now see my reflection! Yay!  Now the real beauty of the piece shined forth! Why had I let it get so bad? The true beauty of the piece is really only seen when my reflection can be seen in it. Not that the reflection of my image is of any importance but at this point I am keenly aware that I am being taught a lesson here. I grabbed more silver!

I searched the internet (think Pinterest) and found a recipe for cleaning silver. I lined a plastic tub in tin foil, added 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda and filled the tub with hot water. Stir it a bit to dissolve the salt and soda. I put some spoons, a julep cup and some plates into the water. I thought that the smell that was coming from the plastic tub was similar to the bottle of Tarn-x. It is not quite as bad but it is there. Ten minutes in the tub, rinse with warm water and buff up with an old, soft t-shirt. That did work wonderfully but on the really bad pieces there are not short cuts. I grabbed more silver. I got about 1/3 of the pieces clean and will work on more today.

Two hot chocolate cups-one dirty one clean.

So much better clean!

One days fruit!

Tarnish is corrosive. It can cause pitting that cannot be removed. I am sorry to say there was one piece that was damaged to that point. During the cleaning I was repeatedly reminded of truth. When I do not go to Christ Jesus with my sin-dust and dirt- regularly it tends to build up. I lie to myself that is easier to live with the yuck than to submit to the cleansing. Over time the beauty He has given me is not easily seen. But, He is faithful to bring me to a place where I am bothered by the ugliness just as I was bothered when I really looked at my silver. Then He begins the cleansing. He rubs and buffs through trials, prayer and His Word. Sometimes scars/pitting is left that is a reminder of my neglectfulness. When He has finished the image that is reflected is his own then the true beauty and worth of His piece shines forth and is good for use. How long did I sit this time covered in tarnish being of no use to my King? His mercies are new every day and today I am ready for use.

With all this silver sparkling clean I am admiring the beauty. I think I will linger here for a bit over a cup of tea before getting back to work.  I am glad you stopped by today. Thanks for the visit.

Better Late

Okay, it has taken me every bit of three weeks but I finally got my Christmas stuff put away. Well, mostly put away. The icicle lights are still hanging off the gutters on the front porch but they can wait. It is cold out there and I am not into self torture.

For the past ten years we have hosted an annual Christmas party with two other home school families. It began when the children we much younger. We don't meet with either family for school anymore but the children insisted we still had to have the party. "It's tradition!", This year's (or can I now say last year's) Christmas party was delayed due to illness (I had a flu bug) and the next available date for everyone was not until the first week in January.

Typically, I like to have everything down and put away on New Year's Day. As a home school mom people get the impression that we have an abundant amount of time to get things like that done but the truth is -at least my truth is- I don't have time to spend a whole day taking things apart, packing them up and then dragging it all up the pull-down stairs to the attic, to speak nothing of the vacuuming and dusting afterwards. It is also a lot easier to get things to the attic with Mr.'s help. We needed to be ready to dive back into full-time school work January 2nd. With that all in mind I started taking things down and packing them away the morning of January 1st and as soon as my girls realized what I was doing they started whining like four-year-olds. No offense to four-year-olds. So some things made it to the attic but most of the stuff got left out for the belated Christmas party.

I mused that at least the menu could be a little more sophisticated since they are all getting older and their palates are more mature. Ha! I verbalized that to one mom and then an email came from the other mom expressing the her children were so excited about having our annual pizza puffs! Really?! My girls concurred, of course. "Mom (insert whiny voice here), we have to have to have pizza puffs! (Say it with me.....) It's tradition!" I can hear Tevya from Fiddler On The Roof singing right now! So pizza puffs and gingerbread cake it was. I did manage to sneak in a different punch with no complaints.

The party was a success. It was nice to hold onto Christmas a little longer. The girls were right. Keeping things up did lend to a festive atmosphere. The children used to play games like snowball fight in my kitchen. No.....not real snowballs! We would used wadded up tissue paper and there was a line across the center of the room. Whichever team ended up with the least amount of snowballs on their side of the room at the buzzer won the match. My kitchen is not huge but when they were little it was fine. As they got older the thought of them being able to play like that in the kitchen seemed comical as just having us all stand in the kitchen made it crowded. We also used to do colonial dancing with the kids. Now, before you roll your eyes you should know that the kids liked it. Really. The girls used to dress up when we would take them to Sturbridge Village, they liked it! Really!

Now we settle for less physically active games. The kids enjoy talking and reminiscing about "the good old days". It was fun for us as moms to listen to their recollections of Christmases past. As moms who teach at home we often wonder if we are doing everything they need. Conversations that day served to assure me that what we have done at home has been worthwhile. I don't know how many more of these parties we have in our future as the children grow, go off to college and move on from childhood things. In the grand scheme of things waiting an extra week (or three) to pack things away really was not a big sacrifice. One day is coming when thoughts trying to get my home in order while schooling and living in a transition mess will be forgotten.  What will remain are the memories of laughter, excited chatter, carols sung, children dancing and the joy of just spending time celebrating the blessings we have because of what God has given us.

2014: The Year in Review

Well, it has been a crazy year in our home! It is hard for me to even begin to recount all that we accomplished in the past twelve months. A year ago the only thing I was anticipating was a fabulous trip to Bermuda that my Mr. had purchased for us as a Christmas gift. That was a big deal for us and so exciting!

Bermuda 2014

As we entered the new year we realized that our home really needed some attention and toyed with the idea of selling the home and passing the work on to someone else. I wanted a dishwasher and getting one in  my kitchen was next to impossible, I thought. The idea of moving slowly faded from our radar as clearer heads prevailed (more like God said no), and we rolled up our sleeves and tore apart our kitchen, pantry and half bath. My husband said I have the most expensive dishwasher ever!

Silly girls!

Wrecking crew.

I became quite adept at cooking in a crock pot and small microwave oven. I learned way more about construction than I thought I ever wanted to know. I became keenly aware of all the behind-the-scenes things they don't show you on do-it-yourself television programs. I learned that my girls can really work hard and long hours like troopers. My husband showed me, once again, the lengths he will go to make my crazy dreams come true.

Dreamy kitchen

Our homeschooling experience changed this year. In the fall we set out on our own. For five or six years we worked with another family. We met once a week and reviewed together, sharing  resources and ideas.  We encouraged one another. To be honest, I don't know that I encouraged my dear friend as much as she did encouraged me. She was always so well prepared and often I felt like I was clumsily stumbling through. Our last class together was in May. Our children are getting older, one of her children graduated and the Lord has brought three new young ones into her life through adoption. Our season changed. It was sad on one hand but on the other comforting to know that it is God who establishes these seasons and provides us with exactly what we need when we need. We are learning how to do this on our own again and I think we are having fun in the journey. I will miss our unit celebrations and field trips with our friends.

April 2011 Unit Celebration. Year 4 Tapestry of Grace.

This year I learned what it means to be a church family. I learned that when many people each do a little we can accomplish beautiful things as we follow the orders of  our King; love one another as you have been loved. We had to part with a dear friend as she went home after a long illness. I know we will meet again and have been comforted recently as I think about this being the best Christmas she has ever known!

As I think of all the things I learned this year I would be remiss to not reflect on the lessons that are eternal. God has strengthened me and made me weak. He has provide for every need and he has re-prioritized my lists to highlight the things that are truly needful. As I look forward to the year ahead I know that whatever comes it will be according to the will of God. One word keeps rattling through my brain, poking out from dark corners and whispering to me when I am still. Content.  Be content. I think I will try to purpose myself to explore that more in the year ahead. I want to be able to say, as the apostle, Paul, did "...for have learned in whatever situation I am to be content". (Phil.4:11)

I did a lot and learned a lot this year. I turned fifty this year! I started my blog this year!  I finally got to see Washington D.C. I've learned more about myself, too. That can be a discussion for another time; it is enough for now that I am still learning. I am looking forward to whatever God has in store for me in 2015 and looking forward to what he does in your life, as well. Thanks for sharing the year with me. God willing, I will see you next year!

Linking up to Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesdays!

Comfort and Joy!

I love the Christmas season. I love the decorating and baking. I love wrapping presents and attending festive gatherings. I love wishing people a Merry Christmas. I love shopping for those special gifts that fit each person I am buying for and especially when that happens to coincide with a light snowfall. I am sad for those that think this time of the year is a hassle and express their disdain as they roll their eyes or huff their way through the checkout line. Did they loose the wonder of Christmas? Did they never know it?

My home has been a progressive decorating experiment this Christmas. I can't figure out what my style is, where it headed or what I want it to be. With two "new" rooms in my house this year I am having a hard time figuring out what to do with them in light of the fact the fact that most of my Christmas décor has a country feel to it. I think I have Decorating ADD in that I like too many different things that I cannot seem to make go together. I see the pretty pictures online where everything matches and all the balls on the  tree are one or two colors and they seemlessly carry that theme throughout all the home....not me!

I have decorations that my mom gave me that are older than me. There are decorations that I got when I was a small child. A certain plump little Mrs. Claus gets tucked in the back of the tree every year. Nobody knows she is there but me-and now you! There are decorations from Germany that I collected when I was in high school there. I love my nutcrackers!

Then there are the chickens! Yes, chickens. The first Christmas I knew my husband we went shopping at a mall and stopped at one of those stores that sets up just for the Christmas season with decorations for sale. My husband did not really celebrate Christmas as a child and so with seemingly no idea of what good Christmas decorations were he picked out this crazy rooster to go into my Christmas tree! I really liked him at the time and so after some light protests and a lot of laughter I agreed to put the bird in my tree. Mind you, the thing is about 11 inches tall and about 9 inches wide; not a small little ornament that can be hidden easily. Hiding it was not his intent. Front and center in tree stood the rooster and he got the name Cornelius Cluck.

That Christmas my parents (who really liked my new beau) thought they would play along. They purchased the female counterpart to our rooster and named her Henrietta La Poule which means The Hen in French. We all had a good laugh. Cute, I thought, and I can live with it for one Christmas.
Fast forward 19 years later.......

They look like they have mange or have molted. Their beaks have been glued and re-glued as well as there little chicken feet but they are still hanging in there and my husband simply would not hear of not having them in the tree. I have tried to leave them in the box but he notices immediately and now has the children fighting for their annual appearance in our tree. I am out numbered! So, what's a girl to do? I have embraced the chickens.

The picture of my girls about 6 years ago with their daddy and the
perfect Christmas tree.

I don't know how to make that eclectic tree go with the hutch that is in the same room but this year I am not that worried about it.

 My kitchen has changed from a decidedly country farm kitchen look to something more mature and contemporary and yet traditional. Which did not go with the decorations I used to put in there. So, without spending a bunch of money to do something different I worked with what I had.

 

Our kitchen island that is STILL not done.

Coffee, cocoa and tea station.

My great-grandmother's china tea cups.

Still need to finish window treatments.

Home Goods purchase this year to add some more sparkle!

 

The dining room has been a challenge, as well. I thought it would be easy with the color scheme in there but really hasn't been as easy as I thought. It's kinda like moving into a new home. You make initial plans that often turn out not being how you want to live in it. So, once everything is done you start over. It sounds crazy but I have read of many bloggers that have the same dysfunctional disorder. (Yes, mental disorders probably run in my family!) I am comfortable that how my dining room looks this year is only a test.

The needle point was a gift from a dear friend!

 

And so, this is our Christmas home this year. In every room I have chosen to remind myself, my family, and guests of JOY.

I remember someone explaining once that the anticipation leading up to a thing is part of the joy. Imagine Christmas excitement for a child if there were nothing leading up to it. Just BOOM-here's a gift. Anticipation is part of the whole thing! The reason for my joy; the reason for our celebration is Christ Jesus. All the carols, sparkle, the glitter, the beautiful, treasured things serve to remind me of the beauty that awaits me on that one glorious day when I will stand in the presence of the One who has given me these small glimpses of joy. I anticipate the day when I will be in the arms of the best Gift of all. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

 May Christ be the author of your joy this Christmas!

Linking to Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesdays #201