This Friday our last child will graduate from college. I've obviously known this for quite some time, but the reality of it surprised me this week. I'm so grateful that all of our children have had the opportunity to receive a higher education. Each has grown in knowledge, maturity and wisdom during his/her college years. Although our current graduate will be moving on to an advanced degree, it's good to know that he's the last in a long line of siblings that can call themselves "alumni!"
What inspired me this week...
Back in November when my husband and I had our master bath and bedroom remodeled, there was one wall -- above the dresser in our bedroom -- that was obviously bare and in need of a little dressing. Inspiration was slow in coming, however, so the wall remained unadorned. We knew eventually we would come across something that would strike our
fancy, but until then we were content to wait until we found a treasure
that we could appreciated.
That day came this week. We had admired a painting in a favorite store when we were in Utah last month, but the feasibility of bringing it home with us on a plane was daunting. This week I received a catalog in the mail and realized the painting was being offered at half-price with free shipping. Within moments the cash register went cha-ching, and it arrived two days later...
We're so glad we waited until just the right piece of art came along. It's beautiful and the symbolism in the painting is meaningful to both of us.
This painting is of the Mormon temple in Salt Lake City. If you ask different members of our church what our temples symbolize to them, you'd probably get many different answers. To me they make me think of "family, commitment and covenants with God." These are good things to consider and be reminded of when I awake in the morning and go to sleep at night. That's why this painting inspires me.
Oh my goodness!!! It's been a busy week. I've been helping my husband settle into a new office building. It's so exciting to have him working in the same town where we live. That's never been the case. He's always worked a distance away from our home -- usually in adjoining towns -- but for the last 4 1/2 years he worked as a consultant for a company in California. With few exceptions he would fly to southern California early Tuesday morning and come home very late Thursday night. That's one of the reasons I would get so much sewing done during the week. Sewing/crafting kept me busy while he was gone. That contract ended in February, and even though his new contract is with another company in southern California this company allows him to work at "home". He's rented office space and is now working ten minutes away. Do I hear a "Whoopee!" Seriously, we are so grateful for the blessing of being able to spend more time together.
After a busy week, I was finally able to settle down and do a little sewing today. A week ago one of my daughters-in-law asked me if I might make a couple of totes for their car. One would collect garbage and the other would be a receptacle for the toys that collect on the floor of their car. As much as we love the children in our lives, we all know they can trash a car within moments of setting foot in a vehicle. A beautifully detailed chariot transforms into a wagon of rubble with the onslaught of children. It's a fact -- not judging -- I've been there. Having these "Trunks for the Junk" should improve the tidiness of any vehicle. Here's a sneak peak...
I've seen a lot of variations of "kid organizers" for cars, but my daughter-in-law wanted a simplified version. No pockets or tucks or froo-froo -- just a bag that you can shove junk into in a hurry. There's wisdom in that.
I'll be making the pattern, tutorial and more pictures available to all early next week. This should be a nice addition to any car as we embark on the season of road trips! It could also be a nice gift for mothers (or grandmothers!) for Mother's Day!
The other day I was hurrying into a store when I my eyes lit on some gorgeous Ranunculus lazing in the warmth of the afternoon sun. I love Ranunculus. Their flashy colors are what draw your eye, but I love their multiple layers of delicate, tissue-paper-thin petals. God's handiwork at its best. I picked up four and am going to plant them this afternoon. I may have to go back and get some more...
I'm not very good at responding to comments left on my blog or sweet emails sent to request patterns, but the kind words often expressed in those messages are always appreciated. It's such a compliment to know that I have made someone happy by sharing a pattern or an idea. It makes my day.
The messages that I receive from readers that are most precious to me, however, are those that mention my spirituality or religion. Sometimes I receive these emails after a reader has hit the "I'm a Mormon" button on my sidebar, and read a little about my spiritual journey. Within the last two weeks, I've received two of these emails. Both women were not members of my religion and were raised Catholic. One said "although our faiths have different traditions, I can identify with how you have expressed your faith and can feel your joy." The other email was written by a woman who has served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Combat Medic. As a medic she's seen a lot of man's inhumanity to man. She said, "When I started exploring the Internet for ways to cut costs, preserve
food, be a better parent and get into sewing it seems the majority of the sites I gravitated to
were run by women of the Mormon faith. There have been times at 3:00
am, unable to sleep that I have wandered through bookmarked sites simply
reading posts and drinking in the peace and calm that flowed from the
screen...Your blog site is one I am
drawn to often, and felt compelled to let you know how
positive and joyful an impact it has had on my life."
I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciated these heartfelt messages. They came as tender mercies at a time when I need them most. My faith is something that I keep tucked deep in my heart. Because it is occasionally misunderstood or purposefully maligned, I am protective of it. Because it has brought so much joy into my life, it is the one thing I most love to share. It's a dichotomy to be sure.
What moved me this week?
I read the following quote this week, and it moved me:
"I have had prayers answered.
Those answers were most clear when what I wanted was silenced by an
overpowering need to know what God wanted. It is then that the answer
from a loving Heavenly Father can be spoken to the mind by the still,
small voice and can be written on the heart."
I have family visiting this week and my sewing machine is in the shop getting a much-needed tune-up, so I thought I'd post some former projects and tutorials with a Springtime theme. Enjoy!
Several weeks ago my "Love Bird Heating Pad" tutorial won first place in the "True Love Contest" at Sew, Mama, Sew! {Many thanks to my fabulous readers who voted for my project as their favorite tutorial -- I'm appreciative!} As such I was able to choose a prize package that included the following books:
"Sweat Shop Paris: Lesson in Couture from the Sewing Cafe"
"Sew Tina"
"Natural Patchwork"
"Pretty in Patchwork Doll Quilts"
"Sew by Hand"
These are stunning books filled with beautiful photographs, illustrations and patterns.
{Yo-Yo Glasses Case, "Natural Patchwork"}
{Soft Book, "Sew Tina"}
{Ticker Tape Quilt, "Doll Quilts"}
{On-The-Move Sewing Kit, "Sewn by Hand"}
I'm excited to try my hand at making some of the beautiful projects that are illustrated in these pages. Thank you Sew, Mama, Sew for this fabulous
prize package!
For those new to my blog let me begin with a brief explanation of my "Thankful Thoughts"
post. Occasionally, on Sundays, I publish a post that answers one or more of the following questions...
1.) What surprised me this week?
2.) What moved me this week?
3.) What inspired me this week?
By
concentrating on these questions throughout the week, I start and end
each week with a more grateful, happy heart and a more positive outlook
on life. On to this week's journal entry...
What moved me this week?
I'm certain the year 2012 will go down in my family's history as one of our most challenging years. Since January we have faced a number of formidable situations. Tuesday morning my husband and I awoke, read the scriptures together, said our morning prayers, and then I crawled back into bed. I don't remember that ever happening before -- not having the energy or the will to want to get up and start my day. The night before we had received sad and unsettling news that rocked our already shaky world. I was confused and disheartened and didn't want to face the day, so I lay in bed talking {but mostly haggling} with God.
An hour later I roused myself and went downstairs. As I usually do I immediately went to my computer to check email, and my eyes rested on an unexpected note in my inbox. A couple of years ago I posted a You Tube video, "Do You Have Room", on my blog at Christmastime. At that time I wrote an email to Shawna Edwards, the songwriter, to tell her how her song had touched my heart and to thank her. She wrote back a sweet note, but we hadn't corresponded since that time. That morning as I checked my inbox I noticed an email from Shawna. The email announced a new song she had written for the Easter season and linked to the You Tube video below. As I listened to the song, my spirit lifted and I was moved. If you have a minute take a listen...
The song says, "I believe in miracles." That morning deep in discouragement, I had briefly forgotten that I, too, believe in miracles -- both big and small. I've seen and experienced many in my life. Like the song states the most important miracle of all was the one
that Jesus performed when he rescued you and me. When I was younger the
atonement meant rescue from sin, but these last few months I've come to know it means much more. It
means being rescued from the world -- all the pain, the confusion, the
heartache, the uncertainty -- all those things that hurt us physically,
emotionally, and spiritually. I've begun to apply the atonement
in different ways in my life, and I've felt comforted, blessed, and
renewed. I had temporarily forgotten these things that morning as I lay in bed, but this song helped remind me that miracles truly happen and the greatest miracle of all is the one that delivers us from sin and the troubles and trials of this life. My hope is that you, no matter your circumstance, will know this too.
What surprised me this week?
Tender mercies -- and lots of them. Since I wrote the paragraph above, our family members had several more tender mercies. There are several references in the scriptures to the "tender mercies of
the Lord." I have come to realize that these "tender mercies" are the
very personal and individualized blessings and ministrations which we
receive from and through the Savior. Some are poignant and obvious
blessings of protection or healing, while others come in a more subtle,
quiet form as inspiration, support or confirmation. When I recognize the source of these ministrations -- as I did this week -- I
realize how wonderful it feels to be loved and care for by Him, and I realize, once again, that He is mindful of
me and aware of my family's needs. Sometimes the intensity and frequency of these blessings takes me by surprise, as they did this week. One such tender mercy was simply a quote I received in an email that gave me understanding and brought me joy. I thought you might like it too...
"Patience is a willingness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of God with a sense of wonder and awe, rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstances." - Neal A. Maxwell, "Patience"
There's nothing easier than refinishing wrought iron furniture. I do it on a regular basis and it's as simple as wielding a paint can! If you're in the market for some patio furniture and you happen upon a well-used set of wrought iron, grab it quick. You can freshen it up in no time and have it looking like new. We've had our set for years now. It's been through a myriad of colors. We bought it when our seven kids were young. Buying something indestructible during that time in our lives was always appealing. Years later there's nary a dent in it and with a new coat of paint it still looks fabulous. Last year I painted this furniture a combination of lime green and turquoise, which definitely brightened our up our backyard! It went from drab tan...
to lime and turquoise in the space of a couple of hours.
The last couple of weeks I've been working on recovering the patio chair pads and the cushions (above) that I had inadvertently left out over the winter. They were worn and faded and in need of some beautiful new fabric -- fabric that competed with those turquoise chairs...
I decided to paint them a beautiful satin espresso color that I found at Home Depot. Generally speaking we Mormons try to distance ourselves from espresso and the like. In this case I couldn't get enough. That deep, dark coffee color was a perfect way to compliment the new fabric on the cushions. {If only that paint came in a "scratch and sniff" version, I'll admit to inhaling as I walk down the coffee isle at the grocery store. ;o) }
I really like how the cushions become the focus with this new coat of paint...
To refurbish wrought iron you only have to clean the surface -- either with a damp cloth or by spraying it down with water and letting it dry. Then, use a good quality spray paint and paint away. I used four cans of paint for all these pieces -- 4 chairs and a table. In a couple of hours you'll have a brand-new-looking set!
FYI: May I recommend Scotts Turf Builder as a really good fertilizer for a lawn. It's the second best thing to spray painting your lawn a bright spring green {as illustrated in the pictures above}.
Earlier this week I demonstrated how to take a lackluster, worn patio chair pad and recover it to make a beautiful new pad! Here's another example with a larger chair cushion. I started with this sad looking cushion below. It's difficult to see in this picture how worn it is, but believe me it needed to be replaced.
I handled this refurbish like I did the former pad. I took apart the seams and deconstructed the old cushion to make a pattern piece to use for the new cushion...
Then I laid this "pattern" onto my new fabric and cut two pieces (front and back) per cushion. I marked on the new fabric where the ties should be placed. I placed front and back pieces right sides together, slipped some ties into the seams and sewed around the cushion leaving an opening in the end where I would slip the padding of the old cushion into the new cover. Then I zig-zagged the seams for reinforcement, turned it right side out, filled the cushion cover with padding from the former cushion, and slip-stitched the opening shut. Here's the end result...
This orange and cream birdie fabric came from Hancock Fabric. It's called "Volary" by Thomas Paul for Suburban Home. When I saw this fabric I decided to recover my existing cushions rather than spend much more buying new ones. I instantly fell in love with those birdies and blossoms!
This fabric coordinates with the other fabrics {from the same line} that I'm using for the other two patio sets I'm refurbishing...
Fabrics - clockwise starting left:
Bird Tree by Thomas Paul for Suburban Home
Volary by Thomas Paul for Suburban Home
Kimono by Thomas Paul for Suburban Home
All that's left to do is to spray paint the turquoise chairs and table set {update: go here for that post} and recover a long cushion that rests on a wicker patio bench {shown in the collage above - left}. I ordered some fabric swatches from Fabric.com to determine the appropriate color for the bench cushion. I'd like to recover it with a solid golden yellow fabric. Although all these fabrics are "outdoor fabrics" and as such are resistant to fading, mold, mildew, etc. -- I will also Scotchgard all of them to prolong the life of the fabric!
I can't believe what a change these fabrics have made in my patio area. They are so vibrant and beautiful! I can't wait to enjoy them as the weather becomes even warmer!
First and foremost I'm a wife, mother and grandmother who loves her family and likes to create. Join me as I explore my addiction for all things creative!
We've been invaded. A flock of owls has come to roost at our home... A few months ago my six-year-old granddaughter and I were br...
More posts...
Learn how you can transform an old TV stand into a brand new Treat Shop for children!
A s'mores table for a large group!
More s'mores! Here's an idea for a small gathering of friends!
Click here to download the pattern and instructions to make a monster appliqued tooth fairy pillow!
From start to finish, learn how to refinish {and how not to refinish!} a dining table.
Crossbody Owl Purse... find out how to get the pattern & tutorial
Tutorial for a cape for little girls who want to save the world!
My Snappy Bag tutorial gives step-by-step instructions on how to make this cute little pouch. It's a project that even a beginner sewer can master!
Chick-sicles! Learn how to make these rice-filled cooling pads for your children!
Make this easy project -- a grocery bag dispenser!
Learn how to create this herringbone accent wall!
Check out this easy ruffled pillow that anyone can make!
Make this adorable purse from a free online pattern and tutorial.
Learn how to make this pillow by using an easy quilting technique.
Click here to find out how to make this reusable Trick or Treat Bag. {Free pattern & tutorial!}
Animal jars -- so simple to make!
A flock of "Love Birds" descended on our house! Check out this post and find out how you can make a rice-filled heating pad for a child you love!
My "Ruffled Kindle Case" tutorial is up and running. Just click here to find out how to make one for yourself or someone you love!
Maggie the Taggie Owl... the tutorial and pattern for a cute taggie blanket is available!
Our Art Gallery... display children's artwork in a fun, creative way!
Click to find out how to receive the pattern to make this gorgeous Camellia-like fabric flower pattern!
Click here to be directed to a tutorial for this Childs Play Tent!
Click here to learn how to make a similar iPad Case!
Click here for a tutorial on a ric-rac edged receiving blanket!
Need a baby shower gift? Click here to find a tutorial on how to make these easy and inexpensive baby burp cloths!
Go here to find out how to receive this beautiful sunflower pattern!
Get the free pattern and tutorial by clicking on the picture!
Click here for a tutorial on how to applique on fabric...!
Click on the photo to find out how to make and receive the pattern and tutorial for this cute pocket bib!
The free pattern and tutorial for this "Trick or Treat Bag" for the little ghost or goblin in your life can be yours -- click here!
Click on the photo to be taken to a tutorial on how to recover a lamp shade.
Click here to find the tutorial and pattern for my "Snap Trap" Wallet for kids & adults!
Two-Toned Tote! Click here to be directed to the pattern and tutorial. Also, find out how to make a sturdy, well-crafted tote!
Bunting Cosmetic Bag Tutorial ... find out how to make this cute cosmetic bag!
A diaper and wet-wipe case... click here to find out how to receive my Dwipe Pattern and Tutorial!
Lil' Boy Car Caddy :: Need a little something to keep your toddler busy? Follow these instructions to make this car caddy for the student driver in your life!
Store anything in these beautiful fabric baskets!
Need an idea for a gift for a little one. Try this easy-to-make crayon caddy. The tutorial is a click away!
Copyright Policies...
Feel free to link to posts on my blog, but please only include one picture. Then I would ask that you link back to my blog and include the name of my blog in your post. Please do not reproduce my content or tutorials, in any language, without my explicit permission even if your intention is not to profit from it. The material at "Just Another Hang Up" blog is copyrighted. Thank you!
Terms of Use: Free Patterns & Tutorials
Feel free to use items made from my tutorials for personal use, gifts or you may make one for a charity/fundraising event. Items made using my tutorials are not to be sold for profit. Please contact me for clarification or requests above and beyond these limitations. Also, my patterns and tutorials are not to be copied and distributed or sold for profit. My patterns and tutorials are copyrighted. Thank you for respecting my wishes.
I'm truly honored. CSI chose my "Smith Art Gallery" as one of their Top 10 Projects of 2010!
I made the cut in the "Neighborhood Gift Challenge!" Thank you for featuring my organic facial scrubs as one of your favorites!
My wood button pillow made the Top 10 at the CSI Pillow Challenge!
CSI Lampshade Challenge... thank you, Jen, for picking my recovered lampshade as your favorite in the CSI Lampshade Challenge!
