Vests for my Boys

I wanted to do something special for the men who are going to stand up for us, so I found a pattern and started on some vests! I have never sewed men's wear before, so this was quite the adventure. The pattern was pretty simple - I had a front, a lining front, back, a lining back, welts (pretend pocket looking pieces), and a back strap closure. This made it super easy to cut out all of my pieces and get started. I used a linen for the front and satin for the lining and back. One groomsman has yellow satin and the other has green - this will match my girls. I also made a vest for my Dad using a tan satin.

The hardest part I ran into was all the pleating. There are two pleats in the front and two in the back, two in the front lining, and two in the back lining. This turned into a measuring and pinning game. After the pleating was finished though the rest of the vest just really pulled together pretty quickly.

Everything was machine sewed with the exception of the first sewn stiches on the side seams, i hand stiched those then machine stiched (I wanted to make sure I caught every edge and made it look professional).

The vests, after they were completely sewn, got buttonholes. I am so thankfur that my MILTB has a machine that you can program to complete buttonholes - it made the finishing touches go so fast!

Over all, each vest took about 45 minutes to cut out, an hour and a half of initial sewing time, an hour of hand sewing time, and 20 minutes for finishing touches. I know these pictures are kind of hard to really see how the vests look, so by sure to check back to see the wedding day photos. Of course, the boys will make the vests look far better than I could ever dream just by putting their handsome selves into them.

Coffee Sack Table Runners

I was looking for table runners for the reception, something country feeling. Flipping through bridal magazines I saw a photo where someone used burlap as a table runner. Burlap seemed like the perfect way to add some texture and visual interest to a plain table - I was sold on the idea; however, looking at fabric stores for burlap came with a large price tag (Joann's was going to end up costing around $60+).
Fortunately I mentioned to my mother-in-law-to-be the burlap runner desire and was met with an idea. There is a warehouse type store in Youngstown, Ohio called Star Supply - they have a little bit of everything and nothing of spectacular value. There we came across a stack of old burlap coffee sacks that were $0.45 a piece and couldn't pass them up. They are each printed with labels and were shipped with the goods they once held from other countries, which of course made them more beautiful in my eyes.

We snatched up ten sacks and ended up cutting them into table runners. But had to cut them apart outside as they smelled like coffee, dirt, and Mexico.

Of course Callie Girl had to help us out a bit. We had to cut the side seams, unfold, and cut in half the full length. Thank goodness my MILTB had extra craft tables, rotary cutters, ruler, and lots of patience!


We did run into a small problem after we started cutting - the burlap began pulling apart from itself. Again, praise the Lord that my MILTB is fast on her toes, we used the surger to run up the edges of the runners (this gave the runners a look that was polished and made our $0.95 cent find look like we spend much, much more).

I can't wait to post pictures of the wedding day. These runners will look awesome with all the vintage colored glass vases we found at the thrift stores!

Survival Kits for Wedding Day / Boxy Bags

I know that my girls probably read this blog, but I am going to go ahead and post anyways. Sorry ladies for ruining the surprise!


I read about an idea of giving bridesmaids a survival kit to make it through the wedding day and knew I had to make something similar for my girls. I had been waiting to try making a cute "boxy bag" and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to test out a new sewing project in combination with a wedding idea.


So here is it - 
You'll need two printed fabrics and interfacing (I used left over material from the ties and vests to make mine), a zipper, coordinating thread, and about 30 minutes.


I started by cutting the fabric and interfacing into squares that were 8" by 10" - you will need two squares of your inside material, two of the outside material, and two of interfacing (craft weight works best for this project).


I ironed the interfacing to my outside material, then I matched my two fabrics (right sides together) and sewed the long length. I opened up and pressed the newly sewn edge flat. Do this for both sets of squares. 


I pinned the newly pressed edges of the squares to the zipper and sewed to secure in place.

After the zipper was secured, I sewed the bottom edge (opposite long side) with inside material together (right side out). I trimmed the material close to the seam then turned right sides together and sewed the long edge again (creating a french seam for the bottom of the bag). 

I then folded the bag in half long way and pressed. Following the ironing, the short ends were sewed (be careful to not have the zipper zipped close!)

This point is a little tricky - pinch the corners out and sew about a 2 inch length triangle in each of the four corners. After you have them sewn, trim close to the new seam.

There it is - your new boxy bag! Turn it right side out and enjoy

I filled my new creations with "survival items" for the wedding day - travel sized items that the ladies may need to save the day (or just to make being on the ranch easier)

{hair spray, mini first-aid kit, deodorant, clear nail polish, emery boards, 

tide-to-go pen, bobby pins, lotions, mouth wash, and advil}

Painting

Going to college to major in art meant I powered through creating images and throwing them onto canvas. A painting changes drastically from what it starts from. All the years I have been making things, this whole "documenting the process" is new to me. So, here it is - this is my newest painting from the very beginning to current (which may or may not be the end) - pretty neat to see where things come from and what they end up becoming.

Maybe paintings have more life than we give them in one glance. They all have pasts we don't see at first, but the layers and layers of paint, all of the experiences, build up a sort of richness that create a more beautiful piece. 

wedding planning

Weddings are stressful. End of story. 


I now understand why nearly every newly married couple goes away on a honeymoon - it isn't to cuddle for a week straight without having to be apart to go to work, it is really because you need a vacation after putting together one of the most stressful occasions of your life. Scott and I have had a particularly long engagement as we are now at a year and 4 months. The first year was delightful, nothing was any cause of worry and there was all the time in the world! Now being about 4 months out from the wedding I  could swear tomorrow morning I may wake up to a head full of gray hair and a stomach full of ulcers. 


Who had any idea that there were so many small things to have to worry about? Who knew that you needed chargers for under the plates and napkins that complimented the tablecloths, tents for sun coverage and double the amount of chairs to have seating for ceremony and reception, johns for people to pee and music to keep them grooving, pens to sign the guest book and programs so people don't forget who everybody is, gifts for the parents and a pastor for the 'i do', balloons for the party and tins for the back of the car, food enough for everybody and a cake with icing that won't melt off in the sun, bouquets for tossing and bouquets for keeping, photographers to capture every moment and plan covering every hour to keep us all on schedule. Man, I thought it just took one man and one woman who were so in love with each other that they couldn't imagine the rest of their life without the other part of their soul. 


I had to take a break from the planning and the worrying about all the things that make up a party to focus back on the reason we even decided to have the party. I am in love with Scott. With that change of focus, we decided to cut the guest list to a small fraction of what it originally was so that we could stop worrying about all the things and focus in closer on each other. 


Stepping away from everything to take time for ourselves and pray about our situation, I remembered hearing about the marriage triangle. It is such a beautiful visual to help remind couples what a marriage really takes. I had to share a copy of what I read, if you haven't read this before I am pleased to share it with you

The Triangular Model of Love

TRIANGLE ONE: GOD-HUSBAND-WIFE

This diagram shows the relationships between a husband, wife, and God. Both the husband and wife have an individual relationship with God as well as a close relationship with each other. Notice that as the husband and wife grow closer to God, they actually draw closer to each other. This means that a vital part of a husband and wife’s relationship is their individual relationship with God. If one of the spouses is growing closer to God and the other is not, the triangle’s shape gets out of balance. This is very evident in marriages where one spouse is a believer and the other is not. For non-Christian marriages this triangle is still in effect although is not used by the couple. It is important to understand that the spiritual aspects of marriage is the most intimate part of marriage because out of it all other aspects of the relationship are developed.

TRIANGLE TWO: INTIMACY-PASSION-COMMITMENT

Commitment/Decision

The commitment/decision part of love is a choice. It is seen when a couple decides that they will stay together for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse. It is not based on feelings that go up and down. It is the decision to stay when the going gets tough. It is also the basis for marital love that provides the safety that couples feel knowing that they are committed to someone who will honor their trust.

Intimacy

Intimacy is the friendship part of love. It is where couples can share their hearts and feel they are best friends. Many people would classify intimacy as the sexual part of sharing each others hearts, of trusting each other with hopes, dreams, fears, etc.

Passion

Passion is the exciting part of love. Sexual love is here, many people do not realize that it is not limited to sexual love. Romance and showing affection are also involved in nurturing passionate love. Taking a romantic walk in the park, having dinner together alone, and sending a romantic note or flowers help to kindle the passionate and exciting feelings of love. While passionate feelings are a part of marital love, remember it is only one side of the triangle.

How the Sides of the Triangle Work Together

Commitment = Decision
Intimacy = Friendship
Passion = Excitement

It is important for married couples to keep this triangle balanced in order to feel the love that they would like to experience. For example, if a couple doesn’t trust on the commitment level, both intimacy and passion will suffer greatly. It is very important for trust and friendship to be built first before the openness of the passionate side of the relationship can be experienced. Many engaged couple become engaged based solely on the passionate side of love without nurturing the intimate (friendship) and commitment sides of love.

Over the course of a marriage it is important to realize that the triangle periodically changes shape. For example, during a time when the husband is sick with the stomach flu, the commitment side of love must be the strongest. During this time the intimate side of love can be nurtured, while, the passionate side is put on hold for a time. This is necessary under the circumstances and will hopefully change as soon as the person’s health returns. However, it is important to see that when the passionate side is waning during that illness, that the other two sides, intimacy and commitment, must make up the balance. If a couple’s decision to marry is based on a shallow concept of love, when the feeling of loves wants the marriage itself can be in danger.

If the commitment side of love is weak, a couple has a serious crisis at hand because the intimate and passionate sides of love and still seeking to be fulfilled. In these cases, it is not uncommon for spouses to seek fulfillment elsewhere through fantasy or extramarital affairs. The commitment that a husband and wife has is the basis for intimacy and passion to grow. Each of the sides of the triangle relies on the other sides in order to give and receive love to the fullest.

The intimacy side of the triangle wanes at times as well. This occurs many times with overly busy schedules and/or the introduction of children into a marriage. Much of the time that couples spent focusing on their relationships (sharing thoughts and feelings) is disrupted because of the children and busy time schedules. IT is important to see how the intimate side of marriage also affects the passionate side of the love triangle.

The passionate side is deeply connected to the intimate side of married love. It is important for couples to nurture the intimate side of their marriage. Couples must make sure that their relationship is one of their top priorities and set aside time to spend alone. In the way, the passionate side of love will be able to be maintained. It is predictable to see that when the intimate side of marriage is suffering that the passionate side also suffers. Couples finding themselves in the circumstances may find that sex becomes laborious or nonexistent. Next, let’s look at a diagram that shows how triangles one and two work together to form a Christian model of love.

TRIANGLE THREE: A CHRISTIAN MODEL OF LOVE

After reviewing triangles one and two, you may notice that triangle three is a composite showing both triangles superimposed onto each other. Using this model a husband and wife who share a commitment to prove each other and who are growing together towards God, will be able to experience intimacy and passion for each other and for God. It is important for couples to monitor the shape of their triangles and to understand the transition phases that the triangles go through. In this way, a couple who sees a side of their triangle is suffering can seek to bolster it by building up other sides of their marriage and making sure that their individual relationships to God and being maintained.

Focusing on our personal relationship with God as well as our relationship with each other will bring us through all the troubles that leave us guessing if we can make it another day. So, my stressing ends here - I have given up worrying about all the things and turned my concern over to wanting to love my God and my Husband. Anything done from here out will compliment the day, but it certainly won't make or break our wedding. 

Bridesmaid Necklaces

About a week ago I stopped at the craft store on my way home from work and ended up picking up some glass beads. After looking at pinterest.com I wanted to make some sort of jewelry - there are just so many cute things posted on that site! I recruited my best girlfriend to test out my crafting challenge and before you know it we had two beautiful necklaces for my bridesmaids. 

Things you'll need if you want to try this out:
Beading string (this looks like fishing line and I'm sure that would be an acceptable substitute if you have some lying around)
Glass beads in 3 different sizes or color (although, if you wanted them to all be the same that would be ok too!)
1 Larger bead type
Necklace closure/clasp
Patience


We started by measuring out 3 pieces of string - each should be able to be folded in half (so it is basically two strands) and go around your neck to length desired of your necklace. Ours were roughly 38 inches long without the fold. All three strands get put through the clasp - folded in half so that you can pull the tails through the string loop to secure the strands. The larger beads are strung from the closure down as far as you want then separate the strands out. Two strands with each kind of bead. Again, you can add as many or as few as you want so long as they are all even. Braid this section of beaded strands together. Add the large beads on the left over strand area and finish by wrapping around the closure piece, knotting, and threading the left over strand back through the last couple of beads on the strand. 


This project took about 2 hours to have a completed, but well worth it!

Paper Peonies

I saw this project on pinterest and just had to try it out. I am however, sorry to say that I am unsure of the original project pinner or featured page but remain grateful of the 'project share' nonetheless. My wedding roses were made of coffee cone filters {check out some of the earlier blog posts!}, so when I saw that these beautiful flowers were made from traditional coffee filters I was pretty excited. 


Super easy project that turns out beautiful - here is how:


Count out five filters (this make one set).Fold in half, in half again, in half again, and in half one last time. Cut the "corner" out of the folded side. Open one fold and round the two outside "corners". Crumple. Open all the way up and separate the set. Below is a photo that shows all the stages for direction clarification.

Crook a floral stem and insert through middle of one of the filters. 


Add a bit of glue and twist the filter. Insert the stem through the next filter and twist. Continue with the rest of the filters in the set. Secure the middles/bottom of the filters to the stem with floral tape.

 

Create a second set of filters and add them to the steam in the same manner, taping when you have added the last filter. Fluff and enjoy!

Ya'll have to act surprised and be sure to shout out some "oohs and ahhs" 

on the big day when you see them again!

But until then, try it out - make something beautiful to enjoy this spring :)

My Apologies

I feel like I should apologize for not keeping up with this blog. 


My intentions were solid, I was going to keep everybody up to date with all the wedding planning; however, I have failed to post frequently enough for anybody to feel really involved. Today I downloaded an app on my phone that is basically a fancy to-do list. The app makes sure to remind you to do the things you list (Brilliant! I tend to make endless lists that end up lost in the bottom of my purse and never get completed). I made sure to put blogging on there, along with a million other things that I think I need to get done- setting up the app to give me a weekly reminder. So, the bad news is that weekly updates aren't all that frequent, but the good news is that at least I will be updating everybody! 


Six months til the wedding day  -   I plan to catch everybody up on the projects from the past three weeks and projects that lay ahead of me still.

Get ready ya'll, here we go!

Ties for the Men in My Life

I had never made ties before, but I LOVED the way these turned out. I picked up cotton fabric at Joann's, both for the bridesmaid dresses and these ties (that way our beautiful gals match the handsome men they are paired with) I used a pattern from Puking Patterns, called The Best Men's Tie Pattern to make these. You need 5/8 yd of both your patterned material as well as the lining material of your choice and 1 yd of a lightweight interfacing. As I already said, I chose cotton patterned material that was the same as the bridesmaids' material, added a satin apparel lining for the back lining, and fusible featherweight shirt interfacing. The cost of making these was about 7 dollars per tie thanks for the great coupons and sales at the fabric store.

The pattern was able to be downloaded and printed off on my normal ink jet printer then pieced together. The pattern needs to be placed on the fabric at a 45 degree angle for cutting, this is called cutting on the bias. The pattern below looks pretty big in comparison to the scissors and CallieDog's chewed up tennis ball (she likes to help me work on projects) but this is to give allowance for all the folding that needs to be done. 

Callie sitting in front of my cutting table waiting for her tennis ball to be tossed 

After the three kinds of fabric are cut, iron the fusible interfacing to the back side of the lining material. Next, with right sides together, place the cotton and lining on top of each other and sew the tip of either end of the tie together (this is just the arrow {pointed} section of the tie). Turn the right sides out, being sure that the points are crisp. With right sides out, sew the side seams of the tie. I like to start on what will be the bottom of the tie, the largest part, and sew about half way up on one side and then repeat on the other side. Going back to finish the rest of the length after that - this ensures that the tie doesn't move or become uneven at all.  Once the seams are sewn it is time to press, so get out that iron!

I use a few rulers and pins to make sure I get my folds as crisp as I like them. Start by folding one side's edge into the middle, then press flat. On the other side you have to fold over the edge, just a small amount, only 1/4  inch or less, and press. The new edge then gets brought to the middle and pressed. Below is a picture of the front and the back tail of the tie. You can see the pressed folds there. 

Once the folding is complete and you are satisfied with how your tie looks, you then have to hand sew a blind stitch up the back of the tie to hold the folds in place. After blind stitching, you can add a ribbon catch for tucking the tail of the tie into for wear. 

I have all the ties I need for the wedding made, with exception to adding my own label and the ribbon. Oh, I do enjoy crossing things off of my to-do list!

Tea Cup Candles

All those $0.59 tea cups I picked up at the thrift stores are finally boxed up with their matching saucers, fully re-purposed as candles for part of the reception decor. Sweet relief as another project is crossed off of the to-do list!


Here is how we did it - Scotty used his hatchet (a special Christmas gift from his sister that he insists on using whenever possible, which of course has a back story for another day) to cut up large soy candles that we picked up at a markdown sale. The pieces had to be small enough to fit inside a tea kettle that I found at Goodwill for melting. Some craft stores have metal pitcher-looking melting pots for candle making, but I liked my tea kettle better because of how easy it was to pour from.

I picked up a thermometer to keep track of the heating process for this project. When the temperature is between 160 and 175 degrees F, I get ready to pour. I did all the initial pours and found that about 20% of the candles poured needed to be topped off because of the minor cosmetic cracks that happened during cooling. For re-pours I heated the wax up the same way, being even and slow in my heating as well as moving the kettle around to stir the wax up inside.

Before I even begin heating up or pouring the wax into the tea cups I had to cut wicks (be sure to add an inch and a half more than you need-this will be for wrapping around something that holds the wick upright and in place while pouring).

I had never made candles before, so I wasn't very prepared - I ended up using wooden spoons to wrap the top of the wick around.

After the candles are poured, allow them to cool as they are. Once they are cooled completely you can do any re-pours that might be necessary.  
Ta-da! Easy as that, now you have really cute candles that are not only beautiful to look at but add a classy and vintage feel to any room you put them in :)