Stitches & Thimbles #1

This seam is a little harder but it is much stronger and gives you a cleaner finish. To start off after you cut out your garment you want to pin the wrong sides or your fabric (soon to be garment) together. In other words, you want the side of your fabric  you want to show is on the outside. With your needle in the center position stitch your fabric with the fabric running along the right-hand side of your presser foot.  Stitch.

Sew with the fabric against the edge or the foot on your sewing --

Trim your fabric so that it is a little less than half of what it is now. (Get as close as you can to the seam without cutting it)

Flip it so the seam is on the inside and the edge looks like this. Pin if necessary to hold it in place.

Iron Seam.

Sew the seam again with the edge again on the right side of the presser foot like this.

It should look something like this.

And you're done!

See Stitches and Thimbles #2 by clicking photo below

A Man Called Peter Movie Review

Hello! Brianna here again with the DVD in hand to bring you the my next amazing movie. This is one movie that if you have never seen it, you are missing out.  A Man Called Peter, made in 1955. Its based on a true story written by Catherine Marshall (Peter's wife) in 1951. (Click on the photo of the book below for a link to the book)

This is an amazing movie and one of our family favorites.  It is about a young Scotsman with not only a dream, but a calling.  He leaves his native lands, says goodbye to family and friend alike to embark on the future that God called him to.  It is not an easy road, but it is a road that changes not only him, but his new country and for the better.  We need more men like Peter Marshall today.  Please join me.  Turn down the lights, grab your drink and buttered popcorn and let the movie roll.  I hope you like it.

Here is a link to the movie (click on the photo)

Staring: Richard Todd as Peter Marshall, Jean Peters as Catherine Marshall, Marjorie Rambeau as Miss Laura Fowler, Jill Esmond as Mrs. Findlay, Les Tremayne as Senator Harvey, Robert Burton as Mr. Peyton, Gladys Hurlbut as Mrs. Peyton, Richard Garrick as Colonel Evanston Whiting, Gloria Gordon as Barbara, and Billy Chapin as Peter John Marshall. 

Sprigged Floral Skirt and Knit Top

Good morning! Cheyenne here, hope you all had a great weekend. We spent ours rearranging the furniture in the house and fall cleaning. Man am I exhausted and sore! Queen size beds weigh way more then they look. Well it is official, fall has touched Tennessee. Hot Cider and Hot Chocolate are on the menu! Yay!!!!! 

                                             

 We got some good news last week that I hope to share with you soon (fingers crossed) The skirt I am wearing today is the same style as the one last week (circle skirt) and actually I made this one. I adore this skirt! It is very comfortable yet a nice full skirt and still at a modest length. 

                                                       

This week I am wearing: a cream skirt with tiny pink rosebuds on it, a green short sleeve shirt, black hie-heels, a pearl necklace and a green satin flower in my hair (its actually a scrunchy / pin that I bobby pinned into my hair).

Skirt: I Made It

Shirt: Thrift Store

Shoes: My Moms

Accessories: Hair piece: Ross

Jewelry: Necklace: A Gift

See you next week! 

Verse Of The Week:

Psalm 21:2 You have granted him his hearts’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. 

Robin Hood Movie Review

A Look At Entertainment From The Daughter Of A Hollywood Actress. 

Hollywood has not had a reputation for promoting morality in a long time. Movies, video games, and TV shows, even shows that are for the family are filled with sex, violence, and swearing and it is harder and harder to find good quality entertainment.   It is easy to dismiss and make excuses to ourselves... after all, it is "Just" a movie, or just a video game, etc.  But guys, God really does care about what we see and hear.  And that is what made me think to do this blog post.  First, I want to talk about what the bible says about the things that we watch and then, let's talk about some great movies, TV shows, etc that we love to watch.

First, what God says...

He says that; 
"The eye is the light of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness."

Mathew 6:22-23

In other words, Jesus is saying that you are watch.  


"Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals." 

1 Corinthians 15:33

In other words, you are who you hang out with. When you hang out with people who are "bad company" or even spend hours a day with actors that are "bad company" on your TV set or on your IPad...watching and playing games and movies that are vile, sexual, or very violent the bible says it corrupts good morals.

The typical American teen spends more than 5 hours watching TV, DVDs, playing a video game, or surfing the net. -Nielsen

King David in the Bible had it right when he promised that:

"I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar."

Psalm 101:3 A 

Maybe we should put this on our TVs to remind us all before we turn on Netflix or our favorite Cable show or even our favorite weekly show.  I think that this is a commitment we should all make as believers and is so easy for us to forget, yes... even me.  

Or how about: 

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  Philippians 4:8

What if we used this verse to filter our TV shows, movies, and video games?  How many would we omit?

What about shows with cursing (cursing, foul language, swearing).

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Ephesians 4: 29

"For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech." 1 Peter 3:10

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." James 3:9-12

See, God really does care what we see and hear.  So let's talk movies... 

One of my favorites is an old movie called The Adventures of Robin Hood.  This movie was made back in 1938 and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains.  

Get your popped corn with melted butter and get ready for an adventure.  Watch as Robin Hood a Saxon lord who, in King Richard's absence, fights back as an outlaw rebel leader against Prince John and the Norman Lords who are terrorizing the Saxon people. 

Gingham Skirt and Beautiful Sweater

Hey there! Welcome back to Modest Monday. Hope you ladies had a nice weekend. I spent mine sewing. I finished three skirts one of which I am wearing in today's post. Hopefully, I will be able to share how I made them with you this week. I really love this style of skirt and it is easy to make. I decided to use the burgundy gingham that was laying around in our fabric stores. I absolutely love the way this skirt came out. The shirt we bought a few years ago but I could never figure out what to wear with it  so until now I have never worn it. I am glad I can now.

I have taken a square of the fabric left over from my skirt and used it to make a scarf wear with it.  I just thought it would look cute.  

This week I am wearing a burgundy gingham circle skirt, a cream shirt with a lace collar, a pearl necklace, a bandanna I made to match my skirt and a pair of black high-heels. Oh, and a white cardigan sweater to finish it off but it is WAY to hot to wear.  It is quite hot today.

Shirt: Vintage Store
Skirt: I made
Shoes: Borrowed from my mom (that is the great thing about wearing the same size shoes as my mom)
Sweater: Borrowed from Grand's closet
Scarf /Bandanna: I made from a scrap of fabric from the skirt.
Jewelry: Necklace: My moms
Sunglasses: Ross (Those were mine -wink-)

Verse Of The Week: 
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?

Heart 2 Heart - I See You...

Three simple words none of them exceeding four letters but they mean so much. I see you. No I don't mean as in "Peek-a-boo-I-see-you" I mean "I see you", I see your worth, your meaning, your tears, and struggles. I see you for you, and I care.

Sometimes I get caught up in my own crazy life and I forget to look around and tell the people that are hurting because they feel alone or because they just had a fight with their mom or someone they had grown up with hurt them, or they just need someone to talk or pray with late at night -when I am exhausted and just want to crawl into bed and sleep- that I see them, I hear them. I feel their pain, and so does He.

Recently I picked up a new devotional 'You Were Made To Make A Difference' (By the way really great devotional) this morning the chapter was talking about seeing with His eyes. Even when things are prettier when you don't notice the ugliness that surrounds us, even when it's easier to ignore. To close your eyes and ears and keep walking.

A few weeks ago I felt that I was supposed to go with my dad to meet my baby cousin who wasn't expected to live (If you would like to read his story read The Other Side Of The Waiting Room and Long Road Home...) No one was forcing me to go, if anything it worried my parents that I was going. But in the end, I found myself walking through the door into the delivery room three hours from home with my dad and aunt.

For the first time, I realized what I was about to face, and, to be honest, I was scared as I stepped through a camera in hand (I was there to help take photos of my cousin's short 90 minute life) That day changed me. But for the first time in a really long time I was able to see. I was able to feel. As horribly painful as that day was it was also healing.

It opened my eyes again it pulled the stoppers out of my ears and it found parts of my heart I haven't felt in years. It ripped away the rough scars that covered my heart and left me changed. It allowed me to see the pain in others lives. To see the outcasts and in a small way step back and say I see you. I hear you. I care about you. I feel your pain. I love you and so does He.

How much do we miss with headphones jammed into our ears listening to our favorite songs (nothing against good music) or entranced in our phones texting our friends? How much do we miss? I get it, it is easier -no safer to stay plugged up in our own little worlds unconscious to the struggles and tears of those around us. It is safer not to feel.

It is safer to bury ourselves in our school work and sports and after school activities because the world is a scary place. But we miss so much beauty when we are hiding... we miss out on the great adventure of life and the plans he has for us.

Father, please give me your eyes to see those who need a friend or a shoulder to lean on or an ear to hear their story. Give me your ears to hear. Your hands to help. Your heart to love the broken. Your feet to go where I am scared to go. Help me to see those that need you.

Check out these other posts:

Click on the photo to be taken there.

Long Road Home...

Sunrise on the way to funeral 

Sunday was the funeral for my baby cousin. 

I have been procrastinating writing this post because I am not sure how to write it.  

My whole life I have wanted to be a writer.  When I was a little girl I would lay on my mother's bed and tell my twin sister stories that I would make up and my mother would type them out on the computer while I entertained Brianna at nap time.There are pictures of this somewhere I know but I will have to find later.   I am in the process of writing several stories but this will be the first story I have to write the ending on. How do you write and ending to a story who's characters tears and struggles are not just things of my imagination? How do you give the events that have ended this story justice?  I feel like I have used my words... and I have no  more, but still I  must write.

Sunrise on the way to the funeral 

First off I guess I should thank you, Carter, for helping me to find my heart again after so many years. I have just been through so many times that have broken my heart over the last few years that I found myself unable to feel.  I cried so much over the cruelty of others that when someone killed my animals and I found them, I just sat there beside my mom and I looked at her and said that I could no longer cry.  There were no tears left for me to cry. I just sat there void of one more tear.  I found myself stuffing my emotions down deep inside.  I didn't cry when you were born, I hid behind my camera quite well and locked all of the emotions away.  When I got home my mother put on some music and told me to write.  That not allowing myself to feel this would hurt me.  She put on the music and left the room and the wellspring that burst forth from my heart... words that I didn't know were there, tears I didn't know I had poured  out of me.  I wept and could not stop.  But they were cleansing tears...this experience of documenting your amazing life broke down those barriers and brought tears.  You know cousin, you have touched so many lives in your all too short one. You did more in 80 minutes to heal hearts and change lives than others do in their entire life.

You have made us realize that life is so short, and it is too precious to waste on petty things.  On misunderstandings, on times when someone hurt us, times when we hurt others.  On squabbles and arguments, on backbiting and family quarrels and he said she said...
This Carter is a new day.  It is a beginning...

Sunday morning I was again up early (yeah I know it's becoming a habit) and we left on our 3-hour trip  to meet the family at the funeral home and on the way I wrote I decided to write what I was thinking.

6:00 AM - I can't help but feel totally unprepared for this... Lord, please bring healing to our family. We have been broken so much. Please heal the hearts, hurts held by past wrongs and grief.

Sunday was like embarking on a journey thousands of miles away from where you just were a few days ago. Such a short time but I have grown so much. In four short days, life has changed dramatically.

8:34 AM - It seems so strange the last time we came through here in such a rush. Now, dad is worrying about being way too early.

We were early... sitting at the funeral home wondering what to do.  I call mom on dad's phone.  I tell her we are too early.  She tells us to walk around and pray, we do. We silently pray ....
We head to the store to buy things for my aunt.  It feels so strange there, so noisy.  Life is just bustling and it seems so wrong.  There are babies everywhere... It breaks my heart.  I now know how mom must feel.  We have more babies in heaven than on earth.

I am at the funeral, my aunt asked me to take photos of everyone.  Snap... Snap.. Snap... I get up and start snapping photos of sweet moments between friends and family, even strangers that showed up from my cousin's Facebook page "Prayers for Carter".  This time, I cannot hide behind my camera, this time, the tears come freely.  My eyepiece fogs up from my tears and I must wipe it away again and again.
I look at my dad, he is so broken... he too has stuffed his feelings for a long time and I watch him as they are rushing to the surface.  He is weeping ... but not just for you, my sweet cousin, but for our babies (my siblings) that are with you.  The ones that slipped away silently, unseen and unmourned.  He realized that and it has hit him hard.  You have become the face of those that have been lost to us... family members whose laughter never bubbled up in our hallways, the ones whose foreheads were never able to be kissed.  He is hurting..,

My aunt and cousin are hugging, she motions to me to take the photograph and I know already it will be beautiful.  The sun is kissing them so sweetly and it almost makes me catch my breath.  My cousin's husband wraps his arms around her and I capture the moment.  The sun is so beautiful... such a tender moment captured forever... love... loss... holding on to one another so sweetly.  Bearing up under amazing circumstances... together.  A picture of marriage so beautifully displayed.

After the funeral service at the cemetery, we released 100 balloons. I think it was one of the most beautiful things I have seen. Yesterday we found out that someone had found one of the balloons with a message for Carter two hours away from where we released them.

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. For the week leading up to the funeral, I kept finding this verse everywhere. 

We went out to eat after the funeral.  It was so good to spend time with everyone.  Everyone was talking about family and old times, of the family passed on... and I was struck by how my dad and his family, they looked like children again talking about it.  Like orphans left alone in a cruel world, to face it all alone and my heart broke for them.  

Hebrews 13:5 B 

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Please Continue to pray for our family. We still have a very long journey to walk and many lessons to learn. But with Gods help, we will walk it and learn it. Carter's story is not over, far from it is only beginning. He has just been carried from here to the mansion that God has been working on for us since he left 2000 years ago. He is no longer a little baby that is weak and small but is now made perfect.  He is an imperfect human like we all are that has been translated into perfection and living in that perfect place where there is no more death, no more tears, no more pain.  What is left is up to us.  What do we do with his life?  Do we allow it to open our eyes and our hearts to all the pettiness that we have made life about or do we open our eyes and truly see...  But his life is not over, no it has just begun. 

Maybe that is why it is so hard to write this. Maybe I simply just don't know what to say... I am afraid that is all I can say. Perhaps it is enough, perhaps not.  But I have given it my best shot. I hope these photos can tell the story better than I can.

Revelations 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”