DIY Button Hoop Art

It’s a bustling week over here at the Cottage, and we are still learning how to do life well amid busyness. :) Husband and I were away for a weekend getaway for our anniversary (or rather, the past three anniversaries, dated in June – ha! That’s how far behind we are, and how difficult it’s been to get away.) and had one of the best times together we’ve ever had! I can’t wait to go through my pictures of our time in lovely Savannah.

But for now, here’s a little DIY for you and your favorite little person.

Zoe and I did this project together back in November when she was sitting low and recovering from her tonsillectomy. She wasn’t well enough to run around and play, but the days got long just sitting on the sofa and looking at books.

While a movie can be a good idea sometimes, I do tend to be a little old-fashioned, and I want my daughters to know how to do things like cook and sew and some of the other lost homemaking arts of today. This was one of the first sewing projects we did together, and we both enjoyed it very much.

So, inspired from my sister Ervina, who did a similar thing for our sister Claudia’s wedding, we did a little Button Hoop Art.

The hoop arts that are trending right now are so fun, I think. So vintage, so clever, and such a unique art that can be so varied.

So one quiet day, this is what we did.

Supplied needed:

wooden hoop (found in sewing departments of craft stores, size your choice)
cotton or muslin fabric
needles & thread
scissors
pencil for marking
assorted buttons of choice

Because Zoe only has three letters in her name, we used her name instead of a monogram. Olivia wants me to do this with her too, and then I’ll do her initials.

So, step one: write the name or monogram on the fabric, leaving allowance for the hoop. Be sure to stretch the fabric tightly in the hoop.

[Next time, I’d also leave more space between the letters. I used various sizes of buttons, and the letters of the name quickly crowded into each other.]

Step two: teach the favorite little person how to thread a needle.

Because this was her first time working with a needle and thread in a real project, I kept the thread fairly short so as to minimize the risk of tangling. :) That did result in many needles having to be threaded, so she and I did it together, trying to have 2-3 needles ready so we could keep going with the project.

Step three: begin sewing buttons on the penciled pattern.

These buttons were an assortment of vintage & new buttons. Zoe’s Nana gave her the pink/blue/green ones that came from the dollar bins of Target, and they were the perfect pop of color!

[yes, those are pajamas :) ]

Zoe and I took turns, each sewing a button at a time. Doing the whole project by herself would have been too overwhelming for her (she’s six), but if we kept trading then she really enjoyed it. It took probably two hours or so, but it was a special time together.

After the buttons were all sewed on, I took off the hoop and spray painted it, just for fun.

This is the finished product that now hangs in her bedroom, along with her one-year canvas photo and the lovely “Happy Girls” canvas from Aimee Weaver Designs.

Other options with this:

When I do this project with Olivia, who is 4, I may make this a hot-glue gun project instead of a needle & thread project. :) Her patience levels aren’t quite long enough for this, but the glue gun (one of the low temp kinds) would still be fun for her and teach her how to follow patterns and have the pleasure of a completed project.
At Christmas, draw the outline of a Christmas tree and use bright buttons for “ornaments.”
Use a small floral patterned or colored fabric for the background, and solid color buttons for the monogram (i.e. aqua fabric with white buttons)
Your ideas? :) I’m sure some of you have done similar projects, and I’d love to hear about it and see links!

Happy Hump Day!

December 24, 2013January 8, 2014

A City Cottage {Christmas Tour}

“Rejoice, O sinners, everywhere for the restorer of the castaways, the Savior of the fallen is born. Join in the joy, ye saints, for he is the preserver of the saved ones, delivering them from innumerable perils, and he is the sure perfecter of such as he preserves. Jesus is no partial Savior, beginning a work and not concluding it; but, restoring and upholding, he also prefects and presents the saved ones without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing before his Father’s throne. Rejoice aloud all ye people, let your hills and valleys ring with joy, for a Savior who is mighty to save is born among you.”

– Charles Spurgeon

I saw this quote this morning one the page of some favorite authors, and it summed up so much of what I’ve been thinking of the past few weeks…

REJOICE because of a SAVIOR, who is mighty to save, has come!

// DIY gold glitter & lights marquee sign that husband and I made. I’m nearly giddy over it, I so love how it turned out. I’m nearly convincing Husband in my gold-crush. :) Also, newly redone fireplace brick. ♥ //

// I love indoor wreaths. Outdoors is so pretty too, but indoors? That’s when you can really see them to enjoy them. Plus, they smell wonderful. //

You know, so often I say that Christmas is Jesus. I talk to my kids about it, I sing songs about it.

This year, the Christmas season has been clouded by so many losses and sadness. My own family is still present, and Lord granting us life we will celebrate together tomorrow. But I have never known of more loss and sorrow in the lives of people I know than I do this Christmas. For so many, this has been an incredibly hard month, and tomorrow is very sad day. I have shed many tears in the past few weeks – tears for some people that I know, and some that I only have heard of.

And I realize more than ever: Christmas is not about me. It’s actually not about any of us. Yes, Jesus came to save us from our sins, from ourselves. But the emphasis is not, Jesus came to save US. The real emphasis is, JESUS came to save us! A Savior of the world has come. How desperately we need a Savior, and Redemption. I am so grateful He came.

// whispering of Christmas in the kitchen //

// THE best gingerbread cookies ever found, and perfect for children //

This is not about a magical feeling I get at Christmas. It’s not about my world being perfect, or the people in my life being perfect.

This is about JESUS. About the redemption He offers us, about the gift He’s given us through his life and death. About the reality that this life not being the end of life ~ and sometimes it takes painful, shocking things to make us realize that. Christmas is not about it just being a happy day for me; it’s about worshipping the One who has given us a reason to live, and a reason to anticipate the life after this! That doesn’t mean it won’t be a happy time, but that the focus isn’t us; it’s on the One who gave us salvation and redemption.

It’s a frightening thought that Christmas can even be turned into idolatry, when we make it about ourselves, about what we want out of it.

// Jesus, the hope of the world! //

// ‘Mommy, why does that ‘joy’ have a world in the middle of it? Oooooooh! JOY TO THE WORLD!” -Zoe, age 6 //

// also, feel free to laugh at my geography. I wasn’t looking at a globe while drawing it and realized how little I know details! //

// One of my favorite vignettes in the whole house; the oversized chalkboard. The great thing about having a husband who is a carpenter is that I can rummage through his extra scraps in his shed and find almost any pieces of scrap wood I want. All I bought in Christmas décor this year was wrapping paper and a few strands of Christmas lights. //

And even with the heaviness and brokenness and sadness of life, there is also such deep JOY. Because this isn’t the end of the story! Because Jesus is the Redeemer of mankind! He offers hope, and justice, and righteousness, and life everlasting!

It’s a strange thing that makes joy and pain run parallel, and even stranger how the human heart can feel both so deeply, at the very same moment.

But in the midst of this gift of life, I want to squeeze every drop out of this precious gift of life. I am a different person because of the Life Jesus has imparted to me; my heart can know peace and rest, even if there is sorrow and misunderstanding and brokenness and sad relationships… and how could that NOT bring such joy? Joy not because of perfection in my life, but because of Who I know that is perfect, and yet loves me anyway. Joy not because of everything being happy; but because of knowing I have a Savior and Redeemer of my heart! This is Christmas; knowing Jesus is Christmas.

// master bedroom; sometimes this can feel like the most difficult room in the house to pull together, and there are still things left to do; but right now, I do love it. //

Sometimes, this December, it’s seemed silly to decorate the house all pretty when there are such tragedies happening all around the world. But the flip side of that is that I’ve been given today, I have the incredible gift of loving my family today. There is no promise of any tomorrow, but today, I want to make it special. Today I want to love them so hard. Today I want to squeeze them tight and make special memories and create traditions and watch their eyes sparkle to see pretty things. That’s not silly or wrong. That’s loving them.

// the front entry //

// a few DIY projects… ♥ //

The most amazing thing to me this Christmas:
Emmanuel: GOD WITH US.

That will always amaze me, and cause me to worship.

Thanks for following these Sister Christmas Home Tours the past week. It’s been so fun to interact with you and I think my sisters have enjoyed it too. :) Many of you know there are actually four of us sisters, and may wonder why there isn’t a fourth home tour. Well, Claudia and her husband were in Colorado for several months this fall, and just returned home. I do hope she’ll give us a tour of their home one day, but it won’t be this Christmas. :)

Thanks to those of you who stop by this little spot. I’m so honored by your visit.

To those who have great sadness this Christmas: may you experience the presence of Emmanuel, the miracle of God with us. May He bring you great comfort, because He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the One who came to bring Healing…

To those who are so excited about Christmas: don’t feel guilty. :) Enjoy the moments, treasure the togetherness, drink in the love, and you worship Jesus doing so. May you also experience the miracle of Emmanuel, the God who became man to be with us, and the One who dwells within us now.

We will have a quiet Christmas, a first for our little family to be alone, before spending time with extended family. We are very excited about both. I asked the kids for food ideas, and the all the girls for was grits for breakfast and shrimp for dinner ~ I laughed, because they are definitely being raised in the south. :)

Happy happy Christmas to all of you!

December 19, 2013December 20, 2013

The Little Southern Country Home {Christmas Tour}

It’s the second of the Sister Christmas Tours today, and I’m enjoying this so much! After these two, there really is no reason in the world for me to do one ~ these two have done it so perfectly!

One thing that has been so fun as sisters is our similarities as well as our differences in décor. We all enjoy creativity and beauty, and yet we vary in style from minimalistic to shabby chic to industrial to some other un-termed decor. :) It’s been so interesting to see how the weddings of my sisters were a little glimpse into their homes. I love it! So hopefully with the varied style there is something that everyone who stops by will enjoy!

Jana is the sister right under me, the second of four girls, and she was even born on my second birthday! Growing up, we didn’t really like sharing a birthday (which often meant sharing a party, which felt like sharing presents – but as a mom, what else was there to do?). But now? We feel like we can hardly even have a birthday without each other. Now it’s become a very special thing. :)

Anthony & Jana were married in March of last year (yes, there were three sister weddings within 15 months) and you can see their wedding here. I was so excited when they decided to live in the south too! It’s not very close by, but at least it doesn’t take a whole day to drive there either. She’s transitioned very nicely into a Southern Belle, perhaps in part because her husband is one of the nicest Southern Gents I’ve ever met.

Jana is super creative and has loved doing projects and creating things with her hands as long as I can remember – and far longer than I have. I loved these pictures from their lovely rental home, and I think you will too.

Click on over here for a bit of listening pleasure [Michael Buble’ Holiday on Pandora] to hear some of her favorite holiday music, and here’s Jana!

/////////////

It’s a Southern thing…

Those who are transplants know that celebrating Christmas in the south takes on a whole new meaning. Instead of snow, you have cotton. Instead of sleigh rides, you have
Redneck mudding. You may even have to decorate for Christmas with the AC on, like I did this year.

// living room //

[check out that beautiful cotton by the nativity scene.
she lives in the middle of cotton fields. :) ]

fresh greenery with fun stripe of color

Christmas tree

But I am determined not to let it stop me from celebrating anyway…and so I decorate. (Thank God the south has greens!) and I bake Christmas cookies, & we still sing carols and may crank up Michael Buble’ a notch or two.

// the master bedroom //

Christmas in the south does not offer me the nostalgia that Christmas in the north did & I will always miss it, & even shed a tear or two when I hear it’s snowing.

But I would miss the whole point of Christmas if I don’t let Christ direct my perspective. Christmas is not about my location, but my focus. It’s about Christ, yes even through 80* December weather when it’s too hot to even jog. It’s about taking time to serve those around me, it may be having little girls over for a cookie bake, or visiting an elderly neighbor.

// the passageway room //

// the kitchen //

These are some of the things that have helped me survive such a different landscape than what I was always used to over Christmas time! And of course, throwing myself into a good old project now & then helps me stay busy & fulfilled! Cheers!

// She is the Queen of Chalkboard Art, and is pursuing a part-time business with this //

// Mr. & Mrs. //

///////////////////////////

Thank you so much, Jana! I’m so honored you allowed us to see your lovely home!
It is such a cozy home to visit, and we’re always treated so royally.
And I want to hire her to do chalkboard art for me! She is amazing.

Your turn! What is YOUR favorite part of her beautiful Southern home?

December 17, 2013December 18, 2013

The Little Brick City Home {Christmas Tour}

I am so excited to introduce the first of the sisters’ Christmas home tours! My heart was thumping with excitement as I pulled in the lovely images Ervina sent over. You’ll soon see why. :)

First off, click over here to have a bit of lovely Christmas music as you scroll through the pictures. This is her favorite holiday station. [Phil Coulter Holiday on Pandora if the link doesn’t work]

[As I said in the previous post, the intention of these Sister Christmas Posts are not to make you feel like you must do one more thing in order to have the perfect Christmas. But rather to show how you really can create a beautiful atmosphere with simple beauty. ]

Ervina is the third of four sisters, and was married to her Sir in June of last year.
[You can see their wedding here, and I love how their home reflects so much the beautiful simplicity that was present in their wedding.]

She and Kenny bought a tall house in the city and have worked hard to transform it into a lovely haven. It’s one of my favorite spots to visit whenever I return home, and I wish visits there could happen more often!

Here is Ervina…

///

Growing up, the attic at my mom’s house was always filled with storage boxes of Christmas decorations, and each year in the beginning of December I loved to help decorate the house.

// master bedroom //

Christmas wooden headboard

There were colored ornaments and nativity sets and little porcelain villages, but my favorite part was grabbing big garbage bags and a pair of Cutco clippers and heading outside to the trees grandpa planted on our property thirty years ago. My mom and sisters and I would collect huge amounts of evergreen and pine, and the wonderful smelling outdoors would come inside for the winter.

// living room //

By the time Christmas was over and January rolled around, we’d reluctantly put everything back in storage and clean up the shedding greens. There was always a mess, but it was always worth it.

// Dining Room and Piano //

Fast forward a few years and I’m married in my own little brick home in the city. I don’t have a lot of decorations in storage. What little I’ve collected so far is a result of thrift stores, Goodwill, and occasionally the Target clearance section.

// the city kitchen //

I like touches of silver and gold, but still my favorites are the same: the outdoors come inside. My mom is kind enough to let me come home with garbage bags and strip her trees, my sweet husband helps me decorate our twenty dollar tree and form little wreaths made out of leftover wedding supplies, I pull out milk glass and clear bottles and white teapots to stuff with greens, Costco provides real spruce garlands, and we’re ready for Christmas. It’s simple but timeless and brings a little breath of fresh country air to our city home.

/////////

I am so thrilled Ervina shared her darling home with me, and you! Thank you. ♥
I’m all inspired to place more greenery around my home! That is just so lovely.

And now it’s your turn to tell her how much you enjoyed it, and what your favorite part is! :)

December 9, 2013December 9, 2013

Make a Holiday Wreath

There are many people who know how to make their own wreath for the holidays, so if you are one of those, just skip this post. :)

For those that wish to know how, here’s a little tute.

Wreath-making is a bit sentimental for me. My dear Aunt Freida taught me when I was a young teenager, and I remember her going outside with me to gather greens in the bitter northern wind, our fingers numb with cold, and then going indoors and she showing me how to make her beautiful creations. She was known for them, along with many other things she loved to do.

She was a creative genius, my Aunt Freida. Her home was always so welcoming, so fresh and creative, and yet more of a whispering beauty than a shouting “look what I did.” She was gentle and lovely, and I know she makes Heaven a more beautiful place now, these 8 years. But when I make wreaths, I always think of her.

Because of her, I so love the fresh greenery, and the scent of pine as you walk by the real greenery. And this year is no exception; I love the real greens as much as ever!

This is how she taught me….

One:

Gather your supplies:

Wreath form (available at craft stores)
floral wire
snippers (what do you call it?!)
winter greens
ribbon for accent, if desired
pinecones & ornaments, if desired

[If you live in the city and don’t have access to fresh greens (like me), you do still have options! A kind friend from church cut two large paper bags of fir clippings for me, and then I went to several Christmas tree stands and asked for their “extra clippings.” A lot of people must do this, because they knew exactly what I was asking for and gave them away free. I also purchased a 6 -foot garland of long-needle pine at $1 a foot.)

Two:

Secure the wire on the wreath form.

Just twist it around the form, and secure by winding the end around.
Do not cut the wire.

Three:

Add a small bunch of greenery, and repeat.

You’ll want the pieces to be no longer than 12 inches for a wreath that fits a door; and smaller if you are making very small wreaths.

Hold it tight against the wreath form, and wind the wire around twice. Add the next bunch of greenery a few inches down from the first bunch, making sure to cover all stems well.

[Again, do not cut the wire. It makes it so much easier if you simply keep winding the wire the whole way around the wreath, rather than cutting and securing each individual piece of wire.]

For this wreath, I used three kinds of greens: fir, pine, and what I call “Christmas tree pine” which is actually a Fraser fir. I love the textures of them put together, but you can use any kind of wintery green or boxwood – using only one kind, or mixing as many as you like.

I did a small bunch of Fraser Fir, long-needle pine, and fir (similar to Leland Cypress), in that order, and repeated until the wreath was completed.

4.

Finishing up.

When you near the end and cannot add another bunch without overlapping the very first bunch, tuck the stems underneath the first bunch, and secure tightly with wire. Now you may cut the wire, after making sure it’s secure. :)

Add any ornamentation using 10″ pieces of wire, or enjoy the beautiful natural greenery.

Hang using a wreath hanger, thin rope, jute, or many other choices.

Enjoy!

December 2, 2013December 3, 2013

A Crush on Gold.

It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving, and nearly all the United States citizens are posting Thanksgiving pictures and pictures of their Christmas trees
and talking about the Cyber Monday sales, and well,
here at the little ol’ cottage we’re just busy catching up on some sleep. :)

We had a special holiday weekend, hopefully with a few pictures to come, and enjoyed family time to the gills with my husband’s family and then with some cousins from my family stopping by!
It was lovely, and today we are just trying to recuperate from the good times. :)

So until I get the pictures edited from the weekend, here are a few of my latest crush
– the color GOLD.

If you know me, you know that I love little details.
I love to see God in the little things of life,
and celebrate His beauty and character in those things!

Here is just one more little thing that I’m learning to love. :)

I know, I know ~ until this fall I thought gold was such an ’80’s color.
And that it was OUT. Out with the big poofy hair and big puffed sleeves.
… Until this fall. And suddenly, I’m crushing.

Here are a few little ways that I’ve learned to love gold.
And perhaps, just perhaps, some of you will too. :)

… gold glitter belt.

It gives a fun little sparkle, just a touch of fun and a small pop of color.

[buy it here]

… gold Christmas mug

with hot steaming coffee to anticipate the coming season!

[gifted from a friend several years ago]

… gold painted pumpkins!

These have been greatly enjoyed,
but this week, they will be exchanged for Christmas things.

… gold leaf place settings.

These spray-painted magnolia leaves would also be pretty at Christmas.

… Gold paint.

As a DIY-er, paint is a general favorite around here. :)
One of these is a gold, and one is a glitter gold.
I used these for anything from leaves to pumpkins to…

… gold shoes!

I bought neutral-colored flats at Goodwill, and painted them with one coat of gold, and then a top coat of glitter gold. I love how they turned out, and now wear them all. the. time!

… phone covers.

This is my sister’s phone, and I just love her phone cover! I’ve been looking around and found a few similar here and here, but haven’t bought one yet. Very soon. :)

… nail polish.

My other sister got me hooked on gold nail polish.
It’s surprisingly very neutral, but still just the right pop of pretty and sparkle.

… antique dishes & china.

These are so fun for special dinners and tea parties.

… gold paint pens.

These are found at Walmart, Joann Fabrics, Michaels, or A.C. Moore in the craft department, and they are so pretty for a little packaging touch, for name tags, envelopes,
and just all kinds of creative things. :)

And, as a believer in Jesus Christ,
one day I will be walking on streets of gold with my Savior and other people I love!
How exciting and wonderful will that be?!

Happy Monday, you all!
What is YOUR seasonal crush? :)

November 21, 2013November 22, 2013

A Little Thanks~living…

I found this quote today, and loved it!
Too often this time of year can be a busy flurry of decor & planning & food preparation,
which is all fine and good and even necessary;
but if not accompanied by a HEART that is grateful and at rest,
what true good is all that preparation?

The truest Thanksgiving is not just those words we speak,
but the life we live.
And not just in November,
but the other 335 days of the year.

If there’s one character trait I want to be strong in my children,
I want it to be gratefulness.

I want them to live with an awareness of what God, and other people, have given them.
I do not want them to live with a sense of entitlement, that people owe them something,
but rather, a continual focus on the blessings, rather than the distresses, of life.

How much of this is a training process of parent to child,
and how much of it is a prayer from parent to God,
I’m not certain.
Because I’m in the training right with them!

But, with all my heart, I do want to live a life of gratitude.

******************

On Sunday I stayed home from church with the oldest (due to her tonsillectomy) and the youngest (due to a flu bug). Gone are the days when staying home is a relaxing experience! Two children [one permanently attached to my hip] made for a lot of together time for all of us, and not any quiet time for me. [i.e. Still learning flexibility: the key to Parenting 101!! :) ]

So we decided to throw a little thanksgiving party for the other two when they returned for lunch. We decorated the table, we cooked good food, and it was a great diversion had by all.

With big extended family activities on all holidays, we don’t normally have our own little holiday, so that’s kind of what we did here. A relaxed feel, & just being together was the desire, and it was accomplished.

We set the table in white, brown, & gold…

We made name tags on gold leaves….

A little thanksgiving 071

We used kraft paper [found in the packaging section at Walmart],
and copied last year’s Thanksgiving idea… but instead of individual placemats,
we made long runners that reached the whole lenth of the table,
and wrote, “I am thankful for…” at each place setting.

This would also be SO pretty in white or gold lettering.
I was sad I didn’t have that idea until it was all over. :)

To make it kid-friendly, we put colored pencils in jelly jars, for a bit of fun at the table.

A little thanksgiving 156

We tried three slightly different centerpieces…

An Italian meal was served instead of the traditional Thanksgiving turkey….

Grilled Caesar Salad…

Ravioli with Grilled Chicken & Cream Sauce…

It was a fun little time, and two little girls particularly enjoyed it!
One poor little boy, however, particularly did not.
Lest the pictures look all glamorous & perfect,
here’s a little touch of reality. :)

If you are hosting or helping to host a Thanksgiving celebration,
THIS post by my friend Elizabeth Marie has excellent organization tips & ideas!
I call her my “hero mom.” :) xo Liz!

Happy Thanks-LIVING!