Christmas Ideas and Busy Boys

I can't believe that I'm using the title "Christmas Ideas" in June!  I'm usually sewing and knitting up a storm for Christmas starting somewhere around December 1st.  This year I was feeling inspired to start early so I can spend the holiday months enjoying the other wonderful blessings of the season. 

This is what sits on my sofa all day waiting for me to steal a few moments of quiet time.  I love to see these things.  Just the site of them brings me warmth and comfort so I decided it was the perfect gift for those I love.  Prayer shawls, a journal with custom journal cover from this journal cover tutorial I created, and one of my favorite go to books when I'm craving Gods word and prayer but don't have a lot of time. 

While I spent my morning enjoying a little quiet time, the boys, daddy included, were busy outside working on their own projects.  My husband has discovered over the past year that he really enjoys birds, this makes me fall in love with him all over again, and is always busy creating bird feeders and houses to attract new species to the yard. 

The boys stay busy creating their own bird houses and feeders as well while daddy works........Do you see the robot face on Mason's bird thingy?  I can't believe my just turned 4 year old made that!  Daddy added the rope and tightend up the screws to avoid injury but Mason came up with the design and put the pieces together on his own.  Nate made a simple but sweet house for his feathered friends.

This last picture I just had to throw in because it brings PEACE to my heart.  I have those kids who love to roll in the grass, lay and read in the grass, wrestle in the grass......I could go on but you get the point, and we had a chemically treated lawn for many years.  We have however gone green and now have a chemical free, organic lawn!  Yes, that beautifully green, weed free lawn you see in the picture covers over 2 acres of our backyard and is completely chemical free!  I just wanted to share that with you so you know it can be done.

Blessings.

Pinterest

Ok, I'm so late in the game with pinterest!  I started pinning awhile ago but it has been very low on my list of priorities.  With the new school year coming up I have been busy pinning all sorts of resources to match up with our Classical Conversations grammar memory work and some other favorite sewing, knitting, and house decor finds.  I also fixed the link for the Clasp Clutch Purse Pattern. 

Just click on the links below to view my boards. 

Homeschool Room Phase 2

It has taken awhile but I'm finally making some progress on the homeschool room.  I posted phase1 in  this post.  We did built-ins on a budget using Billy bookcases from IKEA, molding, and lots of paint.  I'm so pleased with how they turned out.  They are so functional and still look pretty. 

I recently went back to IKEA after attending the FPEA homeschool conference and purchased the small work table and wall cubbies.  I tried filling the wall with a white board, maps, pin board, and chalkboard, but no matter how hard I tried I never could work using them into our daily routine.  We are a hands-on book loving family so I figured another craft table and cubby system to hold supplies was the better way to go.  The kids are loving this extra little work space! 

I still need to finish things up on this side of the room.  I'm making a slip cover for the chair and I'm hoping to add some mounted specimens of things we have collected to the wall above the chair.  We also need door knobs for the doors.  I am thinking long term this wall should be filled with more finished out Billy bookcases.

Yep, hiding that TV as much as possible.  This is our new All About Spelling work space.

This space is filled with things we've found, things we've made, new toys and vintage toys, books that inspire, books that teach, books that will change your life, but the thing I was reminded of most at the homeschool conference this past weekend was this space is filled with Jesus and that is to be the forefront of everything we learn.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

Anthropologie look a like tote.

I was heading out of town last week and needed a tote that would hold my iPad securly.  I found some fabulous totes at Anthropologie but at $90.00 a pop I just couldn't take one home.  They also didn't have the pockets I needed to keep my iPad secure. 

So instead I ended up purchasing 2 napkins on clearance and making my own.  I found 2 more napkins at home with the floral pattern so I was able to make a really large tote.  I added yellow velvet ribbon at the seam to give it a pop of color. 

I ran out of scrap fabric for the straps so I added some real leather scraps that I had from Joanne's Fabric.

The best thing about this tote is the pockets!  I made a pocket specific to all of my supplies and it worked out perfectly!

Happy Sewing!

Unfinished Projects

We are expanding the strawberry garden

And the Rabbit run.

I've been planning to finish this dress for over a year now. 

This one I made for a dear friends daughter and my mother-in-law took it home to finish.  I can't wait to see pics of her wearing it.

This is one of several skirts I'm working on for myself to wear this summer as well as a tutorial!  It's just a simple skirt with double elastic waist band.  I chose to do the double waist band to give it a better shape on a mature body.  These are so comfy to wear around the house and I can still look cute if I have to run out.

I'm recovering my moms favorite chair.  I found some fabric I liked at Joannes' surprisingly so I won't have to stress over it getting used and abused since this is our homeschool reading/gymnastics chair.

Don't ask!  I'm not sure what to say other than my hubby worked hard on this....I'm planting grapes, kiwi, and green beans on it so maybe that will help a little. 



This is my favorite project.  A tree service dumped a truck load of ground up yard waste today.  If you want to know what it's for then watch this fantastic video Back to Eden!

Chicken Coop

I went out of town this past weekend on a moms retreat, more on that amazing time later, and Tony and the kids stayed home to make a coop for our baby and adolescent chicks.  I was expecting a wooden box since it is just a temporary housing coop.

I came home to this!  How amazing are my man and my kids! 

I still can't get over all the details like the kids hand prints, hen plaque, and window shelf.  Just painted would have been impressive to me.  Now I need to garden around it to live up to what they created. 

I love my Henny Pennies and will cherish this special coop that my family created them even if Madeline doesn't.......heehee

Happy Building!