Time for a Change (aka. I can't go outside, so I'll mess around in the house)

I have been anxious to get started on my garden. I've checked out books from the library, gathered my notes and plans from previous years, and ordered a new garden planner for this year. I have even made a preliminary list of the vegetables, herbs and flowers I would like to plant. And then I look outside. Snow. Can't dig in the snow. Can't plant in the snow. Can't even find my garden boxes in the snow. 

So what's a girl to do?

Redecorate a room or two, that' what!

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Yesterday morning, after dropping the boys at school, I stopped by the fabric store a made a purchase. The project? Update my dining room panels and make some sort of window covering for my kitchen window. Wanna see?

These are my dining room windows with their current panels. I have a set of  three windows on one wall and french door on the other. The paint looks kind of orangey in these pictures but, in reality, they are more tan, like coffee with cream. I bought the white panels from Target. Store bought panels are about a foot too short for the windows in my house. To make up the difference, I added the band of fabric across the top with the wide, red ribbon in between. 

I am desirous of something more neutral. I want my panels to become a part of the overall decor, like the paint or the counter tops. I also did not want to completely remake my panels, just update.I decided to remove the band and ribbon and replace it with black and white fabric and this wide burlap with black polka dots ribbon that I found.

Then I got sewing!

Pretty stitches for the hems.

Measuring, ironing and pinning. 

Adding the ribbon with a stitch down the middle.

And done! (Look at all that snow!)

As of this morning, I have two of the six panels complete. The bands for two of the panels are hemmed and ready to be attached. As far as the french door panels are concerned, I think I will do a grand band (30" wide) at the bottom of the panels. That way it will be all white at the top and will no longer compete with whatever plates I have displayed on my plate rail.

What's next?

In picking a fairy tale/portrait subject for April, 

I knew that there was one thing that I wanted to include.

Flowers! 

Spring! 

I love the snow. I love that we have had a snowy, snow-filled, snowed in Winter. I'm ready for a little Spring. I'm ready for green and flowers and digging in the dirt and working in the yard. This next portrait has to be able to incorporate flowers. 

I have settled on...

Rapunzel!

Nathanael's Birthday

February. What a month! It's short, but soooo long (especially when you live in Michigan). Regardless of what kind of weather February brings, there was a special gift that I got in February, eleven years ago- my first baby, my son, Nathanael. His big blue eyes, his great smile and even greater laugh, his freckles that multiply while he sleeps, has made February a very, sweet month!

On the 20th we celebrated his eleventh birthday. Eleven!

 He's only two inches shy of five feet tall!

Brotherly love. Ahhhh!

Look at Asher! He's totally checking out his gift to Nathanael 

while getting a thankful hug from his brother.

I just love this picture! A boy and his Legos.

The finished product.

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We had a great day together: brownies at school to share with his class, dinner out, cake at home, Legos everywhere! Dave and I were both getting sick (thanks to the birthday boy) so we were a tad subdued. The boys had fun checking out Nathanael's gifts while we sickies watched.

Little Briar-Rose {fairy tale series #2}

For the month of March, I chose 'Little Briar-Rose (a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty) as my next fairy tale inspiration. I decided to do a portrait of Briar-Rose while she was asleep and another double portrait of the two wise women bestowing their gifts of Death and Sleep on the new baby.

My other inspiration, as far as clothing and hair styles were concerned, was Downton Abbey. Thank you Lady Mary, Lady Edith and Lady Rose for wearing those fabulous frocks week after week.

Here they are! (For the pictures with parts of the fairy tale, click on the Sew Sweet Fabric Confections button on the right. It'll take you to my blog where I release each portrait a bit more formally.)

'Little Briar-Rose, Asleep'

And, 'Two Wise Women, 13 & 12'