Shabby Heart Wreath

 I have been so busy with company and more travel. All in the family.  However, there is always time for working on a project or two. AND defining and re-defining my special place where I create and celebrate the blessings of this life.

Here's a list of some of the projects I will be working on and sharing.

*Altered, ball caps made feminine
*A calf-length jean coat that I have been longing to embellish
*Chalkboards of a variety of shapes and sizes
*Earrings made from scrapped jean pieces
*A re-do on a pretty metal container (it has burlap ruffles which are so pretty but E-A-S-Y!


God is so good to give me ideas and I give Him all the credit.


Today I want to share with you this Shabby Heart Wreathe. I picked the heart up at a thrift store many years ago and have hung onto it because I really wanted to make something with it.

I really had a fun time putting this together. Sometimes I just and make flowers of different
styles. I enjoy the process of picking out the textures and colors that compliment each other.
For these I used tulle, velour, velvet, some lining fabric and lace.

I didn't make these flowers for this project in mind but I thought they would go with the shabby
soft look that I wanted to try to create.

I dry-brushed the wreathe first and then layed the flowers all about in the pattern that I wanted.

There is a rosette and a couple of yo-yos which are super fun and easy. These are all easy flowers to make and great way to use up scraps.

Among the flowers, I also wove in a small piece of eyelash yarn that gave it a little whispy look.

The large, crème colored flower is my favorite. I really love the soft, full appearance. This was made of pink paper ribbon and lining fabric. If you want to make these flowers, they are easy but a little more time consuming. Choose lining fabric or any type that will melt with the heat of a candle. Sheer curtains work well also. ( I just thrifted a pink sheer that I'm eager to try!)

You'll need:
*fabric scissors
* tea light or votive candle
* fifteen round pieces of fabric cut in three different to layer
(None of this has to be exact. It depends on the size flower you want. The fabric does shrink when melted so this will affect the finished size. You probably lose about 1/2 inch in your melting process.)
* paper ribbon cut in flower shape. I used my Tim Holtz tattered flower die. (I only used a piece or two of this to add just a splash of color to add blending and balance.)

After your circles are cut, then cut petals in your circles. Remember, it doesn't have to be exact. Then just hold your piece above the lit candle turning it they melt,being careful not to get your fabric IN the flame. You do feel the heat and there is a potential for burning your fingers. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!! You may have to experiment with a piece or two to attain the look you want.

After all of your layers are complete just add the paper ribbon (or not) where you want the color. Sew your layers together in the center with a few quick stitches. It doesn't take much to secure them. The flower overall  does take a little time but they are so pretty and well worth the time for me.

To make the ribbon and bow, I used some old linen fabric pieces that I tore from thrifted napkins and the hanger from a piece of lace. The large, pretty buttons came from an old sweater that belonged to one of my girls!

Before I hot-glued the flowers on, I took some pinkish fabric, lace and more linen and made strips to
attach behind the flowers to hang down.

I hope you've enjoyed this and that it has been helpful or inspiring. I would love to hear about a project that you've been working on!

Have a blessed day.
Tamara

Moms: God's source of grace in young girl's lives!

Moms: God's source of grace in young girl's lives!

Living in the Moment

I hope you are enjoying your summer. I hope you enjoy every day of every season. There is always something  that can bring joy and blessing. Life is full of good and beauty! There's so much to take in. I love hearing the birds when I'm going about my day.  Here in the arid west, we keep water out all year long to give the birds a place to drink and splash around! What fun it is to watch them gather. Nothing fancy. One spot is an old dished out rock  and the other is an old shallow stainless steel pan that we had laying around after our house fire. Anyway, it really encourages them to stop by and even to hang around. 
 

Aren't they so pretty? Mountain Bluebirds just taking a minute to get a drink. Just sitting and watching them is peaceful. There they are travelling together and sharing the watering hole.

                                                              Living in the moment.

Not living FOR the moment. But IN it. Finding the beauty. Realizing what's around and taking the time to let it sink in. Imprint. Become a memory.

Live. Reflect. Breathe.

Not to sound dramatic but life can move at a rate that is alarming.  Truly. And I have found the need to dis-engage from activities so that I can stay connected with the things that I love.  God. People. Nature. Music. Books Old stuff and working with my hands.  But I have to work at it.
Here are some of the things that I have learned:

* Limit media input ~
* Have a purpose ~
* Don't over- commit ~
* Accept limitations ~
* Set boundaries and STICK to them~ :)
*Be organized and plan but remain flexible ~
* Schedule down time
*Keep a running list and then just "do the next thing" ~
* Stay home ~
* Keep it simple ~ (what is IT? Everything!)
* Decide what it is that you REALLY want to do and then do it ~
* Have a sense of humor ~
* Sit quietly and as often as I can until I begin to notice what I've been missing ~
*Take the time to know myself ~
*Just listen ~

And.... everyone is different, so you may need to revise this list for you.

Life can be complicated and rob us of the beauty that's around us. We can get de-sensitized. Finding what works for you will not just happen. But it doesn't have to be painful either. Live in the moments of the process. Kind of like enjoying the journey. Laugh at yourself.

This quote was meaningful to me. Giving in to the business of life is not an option. I do it and enjoy it but there are other things that are worthy of experiencing and treasures that will be over-looked if I'm not mindful. And so I keep pressing after things that are hidden by "the loudness" of life.  ,


"It seems to me that we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good and
 we must hunger after them." -George Eliot

Some of my treasures..

~ words
~ flowers
~ butterfly wings
~ a whisper
~ a gentle touch
~ a song
~ the wind
~ hugs
~ heart-shaped rocks
~ leaves
~ bird nests
~ colored ribbons
~ thunder
~ singing
~ home-made mint tea
~ paper
~ silence
~ rain
~ bird songs
~ baby kisses
~ prayers


These are just a handful of the things that make my heart sing. I'd love to hear what you find beautiful. And if you'd like to share about your journey, Id love to read about it.

Blessings to you,



Patriotic Memo Board Made From Re-Purposed Wood



One of the most important kind is the freedom to be yourself.
If I am not true to myself, I will never be what
God intended me to be.

I used to think that I could not be original and that I
always had to be thinking
about the right thing to do.
I was in a type of bondage.
I began to wither and die inside. My thoughts were
consumed with always being on track and never
shaking things up by speaking my mind or following my heart.
This was so wrong. I had such a warped idea about
what God had for me or desired of me!


So when I found this Jim Morrison quote,
it really spoke to me.

“The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are.

You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act.

You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask.

There can't be any large-scale revolution until there's a personal revolution,

 on an individual level.

It's got to happen inside first.”

Isn't that a great quote? Does it hold some truth for you?
  I understand that without Him, I would not be able to do what I do and
I could not be who He destined to be.
But we can't just leave everything to Him.
WE have a part! He gave us a mind and wants us to dream BIG.
He will help us accomplish those dreams.
He is helper and our Stay. Our constant .


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

 

When I was making this memo board, my original thought behind this was to

remember those who have given so much to bring us our freedom.

I wish also to remember those who are presently in that position.

Though that was my original thought, I need to say that without
God setting me free, I would still be destined to a life of being
of a captive to sin.

 But He gave everything that I might be free.

His life.

And I am grateful though I
don't always show it.

 Thank you and thank you to all who have sacrificed so much to defend
this land.
 

Have a safe and blessed Independence Day!

Living for Change...My Clouded Perspective

 I  sometimes  often  forget how blessed I am.

Making plans and setting goals can be good. It's healthy to look at areas of life and think of how they can be better. Most people have goals that are a combination of outward circumstances and those of personal growth.

I have some of both. There are things in my home that I want to update: painting, curtains, flooring, décor. Relationships are always under "construction" and my-oh-my do I have a list of things that I could  work on.

These are all ok things as long as the they don't become my hyper- focus and cause me to lose my perspective in a big way. This challenges me to my core.

I had written before that travelling makes me pensive. It also causes me to re-evaluate. Is there something that you do that brings that deep-reflective thought? And then the thoughts bump into each other and stir everything up until you know that you just have to sort it out? And that brings you to place of real change in your heart and life. I hope so. At least if you need it.

I desperately need it.

When I left on my trip, I was pretty dis-satisfied with what I was accomplishing and the rate at which I was moving forward. My desire for change had clouded my perspective of what was already in place and all that had been accomplished. My reality was distorted. What needs to be done is far less than I had thought. And the pressure to get it done now was unreasonable and unhealthy. Too much of my self-worth has been in relation to what I can accomplish and how well.

My life really is wonderful and so blessed. My home is beautiful though not perfect. I am working on some business ventures which are exciting and though moving slowly, continue to move. I have many wonderful relationships, a fun, fulfilling, strong marriage and my health is good. WOW! Why do I have to work so hard to remember these things? I have some theories for another time.

I am so thankful that God uses people and circumstances to push back the clouds that block the light and truth from my heart and mind.

I have a sweet friend who lives in Ohio. Her house is enormous. She has two gardens plus multiple flower beds. There are a few acres to mow and she works. None of these things are perfect but they are kept attractive and pleasant and she always has time to visit when I stop by. She seems to have such peace. It's so calming, inspiring. It gave me hope. I have often found myself wishing I were more like that. {I was thinking today that I need to write her a note and tell her so.}

The pressure to get it done and to keep up with it all has passed. I pray it lasts. It will be something that I will have to keep a check on. The peace and freedom that I now have to enjoy doing the next thing is very real. The reality I now understand is that it's ok to have things in progress. And the process can be very enjoyable. Relax. It will get done. And in the meantime there is so much more
to life! After many reminders, the fact that things take time is beginning to stick. Building anything takes time. Possibly years.

One reason that I knew that things had to be different was that all this pressure was affecting my health. I knew I had to change. Stress can be a good thing because it can motivate us to change the things that rob us of quality of life.

I will be talking more about these things in the future. It's been a big part of my life and I believe that
we can help each other to overcome these bad habits that keep us from living a happy and healthy
lifestyle.

Am I'm convinced. We were meant to be happy in this life.

Here are some of my photos from my trip.