HeartRocksHome

To be divine.

The BIG craft show is a month away.
What was I thinking?
Have you ever found yourself paralyzed with panic?
I don't know why - for goodness sake - I have been doing shows all year.
Silly me.

This just feels different.
The venue isn't so much 'shabby country' and so I fear.

I always use to say - "Never fear Rick is here" when i felt this way, because, whenever he is near - my fear factor goes way down.
However in this matter - he is more a helper - lifter - worker bee, than a creator- worrier - figure out-er - that is my job.

Sometimes this fear factor hinders the creative process, don't  you agree?
But I am getting a few Christmas collage pieces done.
Feels better.

I also fiddle-dee-deed with these bamboo tiles - I found a bamboo place mat at the thrift store and disassembled it and now have these yum tiles.

I've tried putting words and monopoly money on them - but my favorite are these 1920 fashion ladies.
I found a 1927 Needlecraft magazine - original price 10 cents.

I have yet to add the resin type finish to make them more durable.
Oh, these ladies they are so fine.

Honey (you can call people "honey" when you are my age - one the things I love about my age) when you wear these you will look divine!

Oh - so fine.

I can't sale these at the show (I don't have permission to sale jewelry)..I know, I know - why oh, why have I fiddled with them?

I will put them in my Etsy shop...when I get the finish on them. 

P.S. my favorite lines from - "A Year Down Yonder"  
"Grandma how old is she?"
"Oh, I don't know," Grandma said. "You'd have to cut her head off and count the rings in her neck."
Now that made me laugh out loud.
Have you started reading yet?
Do I sound like a salesman?
    

Oh, to laugh out loud

It just feels so good
Not a chuckle.
Or a snicker.
Not a umph.
Or a giggle.

To full on laugh.
LAUGH!

That is my book review for this book.
 

I am not even sure how I stumbled upon it.
I think I was browsing the Newbery award winners.

Mr Peck wrote this for teens and so the book is found in the "Teen" section of the library.
Don't let that deter you.

Well written with a line here and there that sneaks up and catches you from behind.

Delightful characters.
About Grandma Dowdel: "Grandma saved herself a lot of bother by not being the kind of person you question."

About Effie Wilcox: "You think she's ugly not, you should have seen her as a girl. And she'd talk you to death. Her tongues' attached in the middle and flaps both ways."

I have laughed out loud reading - and then even more delightful - the next day when just thinking about it.

I checked out the book and the audio book.
I read.
RR listens
on this way home from work.
He sits in the garage when he gets home.....not wanting to stop ..and then walks in the door chuckling. NO...he walks in - laughing out load.

We then giggle - chuckle - laugh out loud - our way through supper...as we talk about Grandma Dowdel.
She is a most unusual Grandma.

Oh, and there is a sequel. 
"A Year Down Yonder"
I am so happy.

Cover your eyes, Margaret

Actually...I should call her Sister Smith.
That is what I called her - all the time she was my 4-H teacher.
She taught 4-H sewing with my Mom.
Margaret Smith.
She was also a friend from church, thus the "Sister".

i know for a fact, she would have a heart attack if she could see this.
I sewed most of my clothing - well until it became less expensive to buy than sew.
I made all my prom dresses and matching shirts and jackets for RR and I.
I enjoyed it.
Whenever I would wear something new to church Sister Smith...LONG after she had been my 4-H teacher would flip up the hem to see if I did my blind hem correctly and if the seams were finished to her liking.
She wouldn't much approve of these fun raggedy - raw edges, now would she?

 

And to be absolutely honest, it is still hard for me to do.
To sew this little raggedy way....but I so love the 'look' I suppress all my 'learned ways' and trudge forth.
I also had a Home Ec (remember when they called it Home Ec?) teacher.
I liked her - a wonderful old maid called Miss Dryer. (I think that is how she spelled her name - how could I have forgotten?)
She was traditionally built and had a wandering eye..but my Mom squashed any unkind words, and I soon loved her.

 

She taught me all four years.
I think she liked sewing better than cooking and the other skills we learned, child care - housekeeping and such.
I liked it better, also.
So much so...that I became a Home Ec teacher myself.
  

I am so happy that I can sew.
I love everything about it.
The creative expression - the hum of my old 730 Bernina - especially love making something new out of something old.
That waste not - want not feeling.
I am lucky enough to have a Magic Room where Miss B is always at the ready and hardly a day goes by I don't take her for a whirl.

Garlands listed ::  Etsy.

One flour sack bag - three purses

I have a sweet friend, I found through this little hobby/business.

She wanted some purses with 'vintage lace' on them.
So to the little Magic Room - I went.

One bag - three purses.

It was fun.
I haven't sewn bags for a few weeks - and the hum of Miss Bernina was so satisfying.

The 'lace' is from a table runner that had many holes and stains. It was easy to cut the hand crocheted lace off. Sometimes I find vintage linens thinking I will use pieces and part of them and then I don't have the heart to cut them apart unless they really are beyond repair.
 

 

The lace on the larger one with black poke-dots is real vintage lace. I purchased a bag of old laces at an estate sale. It is yum!

(Hey, litte Miss Sarah - notice I named this cute like bag - Sarah, with an "H" just like you.)

Real life

This past weekend.
I joined with thousands - nay - millions of others of my faith to watch General Conference.
It is something the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints do twice a year.
Semi-annual.

Today I feel a bit hesitant to plug back into the real world.
Conference is a two day event.
Saturday and Sunday.
Many of our family gathered here to watch and listen and discuss (and eat) together.
It is just like I imagine heaven.
And let's be honest - everyday real life isn't always like heaven, even though I try very hard for it to be in our home.
Heaven:
Families around.
Laughing - talking - eating- littles running about - couples with arms casually draped around one another nestled on the sofa - an outpouring of the spirit of God to soften all the rough edges and make this a soft and safe place to be.
Discussing the most important happenings in our life.
The things that bind us together - like faith and testimony of Jesus Christ - and principles that encourage us to do better - be better.

One of the most stirring talks given, at least in our families discussion.
Was this one - by an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A testimony of "The Book of Mormon - Another Testimony of Jesus Christ".

I'd like to add my testimony.
This book.
This book answers so many of lives pressing questions.
Questions about how God (a loving Heavenly Father)  relates to, helps, sustains, commands, communicates with His children.
I  know that this book is scripture.
Just as the Bible is a witness of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon is another witness.
This 'another' witness is easier to read and understand because it has only been translated ONCE.
It is pure and undefiled.

By simple invitation - you can know also.
Read the book - Pray to know if it is true.
It is that simple - really - it is that simple.
It is true.
This I know.

And if you want to know more - even before you read the book - this site is great.
I have always believed if you want to know about something - go to the people that know about that something, and that is what this place is.

Now today. Back to life. The life of worries, and bills, and work, and schedules, and appointments, and a multitude of demands upon my time.
NO
wait
just
a
minute.

These truths and these heaven feelings - that is LIFE - REAL LIFE.
These other pressing worldly concerns and worries - they are just a part of life, but REAL LIFE is what I experienced this week-end.

JOY (banner from vintage quilt)

One of my favorite Christmas words.
Now one of my favorite Christmas banners.

I like the little raggedy-ness.
Really worn and soft and yum.

If'n I could figure out how to capture that feel on film.
I am needing that spiffy camera, eh?
Oh, how in the world could I ever justify such a purchase.
And then the lenses and software and light thingies and just all that.

I have a great idea....imagination.
Just imagine the softest yummiest cotton pillowcase.
One you love to lay your head on.
One like your Grandma would put on her feather bed.
That one.
That is how soft and yum this banner is.
Imagination = better = and cheaper.