Blessings

I love this picture......my sweet girls!(Shelly has on very high platforms :)

Another Pretty Room

This room says....calmness, serenity,quiet, still...... a really beautiful place. It is beautiful and it's one of those pictures that look like the furniture has been acquired over several years, here and there. I like this kind of room found in the March issue of House Beautiful (my favorite).  Just sit down, have a cup of tea, read a book, think, dream, read my Bible and pray............just wait for directions!  I especially like the window treatments!  Natural colors are appealing this time of year!

  Most homes are lived in with toys on the floor, here and there, a book on the table with a book mark in it, a piece of thread on the carpet waiting for someone to see it and pick it up.  You know, the houses that say real people live here!  "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it;  Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for He gives to His beloved even in His sleep!"  Psalm 127:1-2  Oh yes, He does!!!  It's a promise!  Our homes can and with grace and humbleness are able to honor God!  We can enjoy pretty pictures without expecting perfection in ourselves or others.  We'll  be a lot happier and have a whole lot more fun in life........

My Heart

I post this because it captures my HEART!  The dresses that Olivia and Isabel are wearing were designed and hand sewn over a three month period.  I made them over the course of  three months as I had time,  hand stitching the laces together on the bodice of each dress.  The sleeves and body of the dresses are organza.  I didn't use a pattern, I just knew how I wanted the girls to look and so I began.  To quote from Dr. Zivago....."then it's a gift!"   God has blessed me with many blessings of which I am grateful and when time is something He's allowed, we can turn it into nothing or we can turn it into something lasting!  Invest in others and you'll be rewarded.....example......someone sent me this adorable picture. They took the time to snap it, print it, and send it to me.....how it blessed to receive it!  Victoria, my niece, is the little girl to the left of Kara.  We found her dress in New Orleans and it was beautiful on her.  Ava's dress was worn in Kristen and Brian's wedding almost twelve years ago by Brian's niece.  We just made a few alterations.  Clay's suit came from Dillards (thank you Dillards) and Luke's outfit, I had planned to make but found this one and he looked so sweet in it!  Perfect color for his beautiful skin coloring!  It just all worked out for this lovely picture!  I am planning to use it as a postcard for my Children's Wedding Clothes brochure.
Stay tuned!  Off to sew...........

A New Entry

A Beautiful Entry Foyer

Such a beautiful home!  The elements and colors of this entry are well balanced and the gray/blue color scheme is calming and soothing!  Love it!!!  I love colors and styles that are calming, a fountain in the background with water trickling down......just saying all is well!  Peacefulness.  Isn't that what we all hope for in our lives?  Peace does come...... but often times it's after a storm or an event that we would gladly wish away.  The Bible says, "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.  You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways."  Isaiah 64:4-5  There are other Scriptures that remind us of those times when things are difficult in the life of someone we love.  Trust me, I know, I've been there too. Romans 8:28 encourages us that God truly is working all things together for good!  Even the not so calm places in life's path.  When I was young, at church we sang a song THE LORD KNOWS THE WAY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS......all we have to do is follow. Wilderness experiences are not that pleasant.  They are tough places where ones feels lost and without clear direction. Websters defines it as a waste land or overgrown land with no settlers.  Honestly, I do not believe that God waste any wilderness experience but I do believe that He doesn't want us to settle there.  He wants us to learn the lessons of those times of waiting and trusting on Him to guide us through safely to the promised land!  Looking ahead is good when we know the One who is guiding our journey and making us whole in the process.  Often He takes away the rough places within our hearts and makes them smooth and calm.  I don't know what is going on in your life today but I can pray if you read this,  that you will allow God to guide you to a place that He has already entered.  His Entry Foyer is open and He is inviting you to come in and share and fellowship with Him.  In Luke 1:46-47 Mary said,  " My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."  Amen to her words!!!  Have a blessed day and ENTER IN!!!

Virtues.......

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control...." Galatians 5:22-23  What beautiful virtues.......fill us Holy Spirit!!!

The Well-Lived Life.......How Beautiful!!!

Do you like luxury, do you enjoy comfort, is there anything you obsess over, do you enjoy walking into a room and feeling loved and comfortable?  Interesting questions, but the last one to me, is the only one important.  Do you enjoy walking into a room and feeling loved and comfortable?  I know that I do, and the moment you walk into a home, you can sense something about the ones living there.  This room I redecorated to suit my taste for a few hours a couple of weeks ago.......Kara and Phil's big day.  With just a little thought and a few luxurious accessories to suit our taste, we made it nicer than we had found it!  We started with the sofas and faced them, one to another, leaving ample space so the guest could sit comfortably and enjoy conversation.  We placed a few candles to make the room more welcoming and placed pillows we found inexpensively, and a few that I made, in the bare window seat.  BLISS!  COMFORT!  and hopefully all our guest felt the LOVE of the families!!! Imagine this room filled with people, relaxing, enjoying conversation, and just feeling welcome and at home.  The way we live, can be recreated anywhere we go.  I can't resist books, so you might add a few of your favorite books also, even if you are just having guests for the weekend in your home.  You might begin by placing a couple of books about the area you live in or that you live near.  Several of our guest were from England, so I wanted them to feel at home and we decided upon a lovely little green teapot that we had found in an antique shop!  PERFECT!!!

What does a guest remember when they visit your home?  You can shop the world over for "things" but what one remembers truly, is the love felt when they are in and when they leave your home.  In the Bible, John 12 tells the story of Jesus coming to Bethany, to visit the sisters, Mary and Martha, because their brother Lazarus had died and Jesus had raised him from the dead! Talk about celebration and great conversation!!!  There, in their home,  they made Jesus a supper, and Martha served dinner or so the Bible says, but Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.  The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Wow....can you imagine!  Spikenard was a valuable and fragrant ointment derived from the dried roots of the herbal plant called nard.  It was costly and only used for special occasions.  Mary understood that being in the PRESENCE of the LORD was the most special of occasions.  You see, when Jesus is invited into our homes and His Presence fills our spirits and our homes........we don't have to worry about the pillows, the sofas, or even the beautiful flowers for a fragrance.   All the invited guests will know that true love is there!  Enjoy decorating your home............and, most importantly,  fill it with the love of Jesus!  How Beautiful it will be!