Tunisian Crochet

Oh, my friend, Carol Ann taught me Tunisian Crochet this past Friday.  I needed something more to do with yarn!   Here's my dish cloths.  Not to bad for a first try!  The edge is a bit uneven on the first try, but -- oh well.  This is a fun technique that a little like knitting and a little like crochet.
The pattern can be accessed here and it's free!  http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mtmercyme/tunisian-crochet-washcloth

A tutorial on Tunisian Crochet is here:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WCA7huAGYE4

This is my first attempt.  The first photo is my second try.  Interestingly, this is the same table in different light.  I wasn't intending to do a light study, but there you go. . .

Tales from a 1927 House -- Our Sunroom

Nearly seven years ago we moved into our current home.  It really didn't (we thought) need a lot of work.  Since moving in we have discovered a weak electrical system, lack of storage space, and a leaking sunroom roof.  The sunroom was a major selling point in buying this house.  Ten beautiful windows that look out into what used to be a quaint wooded area.  I remember sitting in the room when the house was being inspected and thinking -- this is my spot.

The roof over the sunroom was flat, something very common houses constructed in the 1920's.  We thought the flat roof wouldn't be a problem as the former owner assured us it had just been re-roofed.  But flat roofs and Michigan winters are not amicable companions, and two winters ago, during a thaw cycle, the roof began to leak.  After talking to our friend and contractor, Gary Allen, we decided we would put a hip roof on the structure.  The door that walked out onto the flat roof would be replaced by a window.  Gary is a creative and resourceful fellow and mentioned that he had an arched window sitting in his driveway (a Pella window, even), that he felt would look nice in a gable.  We would have to add a cathedral ceiling.  We liked the idea.  So here are pictures of our project.
 

This is Gary in our old "before" sunroom.  The ceiling was an Armstrong fake wood product.

The roof peeled off.  There wasn't a salvageable board in the roof.

This is the interior after the arched window was set in place and the gabled roof put on.

The exterior -- almost complete -- it turned out kind of cute!

Just recently I finished making Swedish shades for the ten windows in the sunroom.  Now a Swedish shade isn't that big of a deal to make -- but ten of them took quite a while and quite a lot of effort.  I like the way the room looks now -- although I would like to change the seating in the room to accommodate more people -- that will come later.  I do love the color though and I like the shades.  The whole family is very happy with the project.

The new ceiling is natural beadboard.  Although the floor isn't visible here, it is oak that was stained to match the existing floor in the rest of the house.

See more of the sunroom project at my blog

Okay, a little more dedication wouldn't kill me.  I have some photos to share.  Now that my camera's working this could be amazing.

 My lovely daughter, Olivia turned 13 yesterday.  It was a great day.  She slept late.  We went shopping (something her little brother didn't love quite so much).  She cooked dinner (at her request).  I did bake her a cake.  It was a good day.

 My independent girl even lit her own birthday candles!

Happy birthday, my sweet girl!  May all your wishes and dreams come true.  You're a delight!

Curtain Call

Let me preface this post by saying I love to sew. I love fabric, yarn, thread -- if it has to do with fiber -- it's wonderful and worth my time. I love my sewing machine -- it's my girlie power tool. That being said -- here's the curtains my adorable husband asked and asked me to make for our
sweet 1927 Dutch Colonial House. I do love our house. It has french doors that open onto the deck and back yard from our dining room. This is nice, but it can be a little like living in a fish bowl -- especially when a cherubic little neighbor child's face peeks in at you unexpectedly (almost always mid-bite or at a particularly untidy moment). This made curtains necessary. Heavy curtains aren't my thing and I delayed putting these up forever. But after a trip to our local Field's Fabrics and armed with a bit of inspiration from Cynthia Treen's book: Last Minute Fabric Gifts, I came up with this:

Last Minute Fabric Gifts gives you instructions for making these sweet silk flowers. It's not difficult -- and the dupioni silk I used to make these was like working with magic. Somehow these make me think of a southern belle. They are girlie, but that's okay -- there have been absolutely no complaints. Now this hasn't completely blocked the windows and you'll notice there's still room for lil' faces, but it gives a little more privacy.

A flower close up -- oops I see a string I need to nip off. Where are those scissors.

First Holy Communion Keepsake Box

Well, it has been more than two months since my last post. It's not that I haven't been doing anything. There were dining room curtains and a slip cover for our sofa. But the biggest thing and maybe the insanest thing I've ever done has just been completed. Now, I must let go of it in order to raise funds for our school's Education Foundation. I'm not complaining, but giving this baby up is hard. It's so very sweet. The second grade teachers at St. Anthony of Padua school let me come into their class room to have their student's draw pictures of what their First Communion means to them. The drawings were transferred to fabric, embroidered and then adhered to a box.

I was so touched as I stitched -- it's no wonder Jesus says to let the little children come to him -- some of these drawings just melted my heart. I was also so stressed as I progress through this project (the time frame for this was about three weeks). Thankfully, the Lord heard my distress call -- and so did my stitching buddy, Carol Ann -- she did two of the side panels. Thanks Carol -- I don't know what I'd have done without you. She even happily complied when I told her she had to say a prayer for each child as she stitched. Anyway, here are some pictures of this keepsake box.

This is the top



The top again -- but further away

It's difficult to see all of the detail in these pictures. One of the children drew Jesus on the cross with a tear on his face. Another child drew Jesus on the cross from the back -- Jesus is looking down at the child and smiling.

A side panel

. . . and another

Happy faces, crosses, chalices, alters

One that really evokes a smile -- Calvary Hill with Our God is an Awesome God in the center and a very cute kitty climbing up the side.

Amy Slocum, Cindy Woodworth and Amy Zainea are also working on this auction basket (or box) -- it will be filled with a plethora of goodies for a child's first communion celebration. I hope it's a big success -- it has already been a blessing.

Headed to Portage

My childhood was spent in Portage, Indiana. Indiana is a beautiful state -- it truly doesn't get the credit it's due among the fifty. One of Indiana's richest natural resources is Lake Michigan.

We are headed to Portage today. The National Park Service has completed a beach in Portage in the past year. It's truly pretty.

This is the beach house. It doesn't look quite like it belongs in Portage. Portage is at the very southern tip of Lake Michigan and is the humble cousin of the other cities in Porter County. Valparaiso is a high-brow college town, and Chesterton is quaint and darling, but Portage is just simple hard-working Portage. This beach house gives the little town on the lake some well-deserved panache.

It was sunset when we visited which is why my shadow is in the lower right of the photo. Isn't this beach house sweet. What you don't see is the outdoor fireplace on the patio -- nice touch.

Here are some images of the sunset. It was beautiful . . .

I'm looking forward to visiting Portage.

Hydrangeas

Would you look at that. My friend Carol Ann has the most amazing hydrangea bush. The blue is other worldly. She says her secret is coffee grounds and MirAcid. My yard is only two houses away and my hydrangea is pink. Carol Ann was sweet enough to give me two huge blossoms from this lovely plant. Thanks, Carol Ann, for the beauty that you added to our home.