I Made a Table Runner

...Well actually, I made 1 1/2 table runners (before my time expired and Christmas gift-giving began!) with the help of my new {old} Singer machine.
I had a hay day at the fabric store (which is more like a warehouse of thousands of choices) where I grabbed lots of my favorite samples. Then I picked 2 neutrals {you'll see the butter yellow and taupe} to make the runner two-sided.
I roughly cut up the samples into rectangles and added a few samples I had at home {remember my roman shade and dining chairs? and my cornice boxes?}

I sewed on patchwork blocks out of the samples at the ends of my neutral fabrics, making sure my modern:traditional and earthtones:bolds ratios felt right.

Then putting the two long neutral pieces together with the sample-sides {pretty-sides} face to face or inside out, I sewed all the way around the perimeter except leaving 6 inches open for me to flip it back right-side-out. Got all that?

Okay, now it feels like a table runner!

I poked out all the corners with my scissor tips, ironed it flat {cautious of the not-yet-sewn part}, and then sewed all the way around the perimeter.

I love that the patchy, loose look allowed me to make lots of little rookie mistakes. It has character :)

And it was a really fun surprise for my sister {this guy's mama} and mama {this one's mama}

You can make one, too. It's quite fun--and now I see see skirts, pillows, and jackets with new eyes as my appreciation for the art of sewing has increased tenfold.

{Two runners are shown, 54" x 14"}

Sewing: Crash Course

Well, it's a new year (Happy New Year!) and I picked up a new skill.

Or at least I took myself through a crash course of sewing, with the 1956 Singer manual I pulled up online leading me delicately through each step. I'm now convinced we modern-day Americans have it easy with gadgets that practically work themselves...and are much more user-friendly than the antiquity of a sewing machine I now call my own.

My great aunt was probably charmed into buying her 1956 Singer 99K by a commercial like this one:

And I inherited it!

So of course, I had to dream up a project. I had to put my Singer to use before I "lost my ever-loving mind."

Stay tuned for what I made :)

Our Christmas Log

Meet Caga Tio, our dear Christmas log.

After studying for a semester in Barcelona, I brought home this miniature version of the traditional Catalan holiday figure. He has a great spot on our mantle.

Have you ever seen one of these?

Hilarious.

Caga Tio {wikipedia knows all the good details}

Beginning with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), one gives the tió a little bit to "eat" every night and usually covers him with a little blanket so that he will not be cold at night.

On Christmas day or, depending on the particular household, on Christmas Eve, one puts the tió partly into the fireplace and orders it to "poop" (the fire part of this tradition is no longer as widespread as it once was, since many modern homes do not have a fireplace). To make him "poop", one beats him with sticks, while singing various songs of Tió de Nadal.

The tió does not drop larger objects, as those are brought by the Three Wise Men. It does leave candies, nuts and torrons. Depending on the part of Catalonia, it may also give out dried figs. When nothing is left to "poop", it drops a salt herring, a head of garlic, an onion or "urinates". What comes out of the tió is a communal rather than individual gift, shared by everyone present.

The Catalans have a great sense of humor :)

Sweetie Pie Portrait

Blue-eyed and smiley.

Cutie pie.

A Christmas commission piece for baby MK's grandparents. (10" x 10" acrylic)

Christmas Trees

We're feeling very festive with our decorations out, Christmas tunes on, and our Christmas trees lit.

Yep, Christmas trees. Uh huh...two of them. :)

Well....because we have lots of ornaments--my sweetie's mom has collected ornaments for him each year of his life and has lashived lots of Christmas decor love on us. Cool, huh.

And because I have always thought it was so pretty to see a tree twinkling in the front window from the street. And to have one to enjoy in your main living area.

So, we decided to have two. One traditional and cozy in the front.

With sweet, sentimental ornaments.

And some fun ones that represent the things we like.

And one casual, cute and a little unique--not too typical. Like us.

A friend commented, "Oh, so like a mullet."

...I raised an eyebrow...

"You know. Business in the front--party in the back."

Yep, exactly. We love our arrangement!

It definitely makes us smile.

And I didn't even think about how it would be a happy companion to our homemade roman shades.

What do you think? Are we crazy?! :)

Happy decorating!!

Red red red

Lots of little hints of Christmas coming.

Mostly red.

All beautiful.

Jesus Storybook Bible

Born in a little town named House of Bread, the Bread of Life** came to us. In the form of a baby boy, God was here!

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones would be a fantastic gift for kids of all ages. Hub and I love it so much--we can't hold on to our copy long because we always end up giving it away.

I've heard of seminary students being required to read it and adult ministries using it to give simple understanding to their leadership.

Jesus changed history. The heart of God's Word is that the King stepped down from His throne and humbly walked among us, only to give Himself for us so we can have life. It's true, every story whispers His name.

**John 6: ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. ⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”