My sisters giving younger guests the "grand tour"...
while mothers and fathers fellowship.
The place settings.
Hope you all had a delightful Sunday!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Quotables
"Bedtime Prayer", Eugene-Ernest Hillemacher
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." -Philipians 4:6
"I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go." -Abraham Lincoln
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Ruffled Trio Pillow
I was inspired by this image to make a throw pillow for my mother's birthday.
I used a linen/cotton blend from Jo-Ann's in an ecru color. It was a simple and fun project!
Happy Birthday Mama!
Happy Birthday Mama!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Book Review: Peter and the Starcatchers
Title: "Peter and the Starcatchers"
Author: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
First Edition Published: 2004
The story begins in London with five orphan boys being forced onto a ship bound for Rundoon where they will become servants of the king. On the voyage they meet a kindly sailor, a terrifying pirate and a girl who can fly. One of the orphans, Peter, is very interested in an old truck in the hold of the ship which is rumored to contain the greatest treasure on earth. When the ship is thrown onto a reef by a storm and the passengers marooned on an island inhabited by savages it becomes a race against the odds to see who can get to the trunk first.
I found the book to be poorly written, slightly repetitive and even mildly offensive. The story itself was quite interesting and with a little trimming this could have been a very good children's novel. As it is (in my opinion) it just doesn't make the cut. There were uses of d---, Peter and Molly obviously "like" each other, Peter notices that the mermaids don't wear clothes and after one of them administers CPR to him he says he enjoyed being "kissed" by her. The trunk, or rather it's contents, have magical powers and the pirates enjoy causing other people pain and fear. These last two things did not bother me but they could be an issue for others.
In conclusion, it was OK. I t was an interesting "light read" and I most likely will not be reading the rest of the series. Again, the story was good and very imaginative but over all it's not a book I am going to recommend to others.
Author: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
First Edition Published: 2004
The story begins in London with five orphan boys being forced onto a ship bound for Rundoon where they will become servants of the king. On the voyage they meet a kindly sailor, a terrifying pirate and a girl who can fly. One of the orphans, Peter, is very interested in an old truck in the hold of the ship which is rumored to contain the greatest treasure on earth. When the ship is thrown onto a reef by a storm and the passengers marooned on an island inhabited by savages it becomes a race against the odds to see who can get to the trunk first.
I found the book to be poorly written, slightly repetitive and even mildly offensive. The story itself was quite interesting and with a little trimming this could have been a very good children's novel. As it is (in my opinion) it just doesn't make the cut. There were uses of d---, Peter and Molly obviously "like" each other, Peter notices that the mermaids don't wear clothes and after one of them administers CPR to him he says he enjoyed being "kissed" by her. The trunk, or rather it's contents, have magical powers and the pirates enjoy causing other people pain and fear. These last two things did not bother me but they could be an issue for others.
In conclusion, it was OK. I t was an interesting "light read" and I most likely will not be reading the rest of the series. Again, the story was good and very imaginative but over all it's not a book I am going to recommend to others.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Book Review: Under the Greenwood Tree
Title: Under the Greenwood Tree or The Mellstock Quire: A Rural Painting of the Dutch School
Author: Thomas Hardy
First Edition Published: 1872
Divided into five parts (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Conclusion) Thomas Hardy's novel "Under the Greenwood Tree"revolves around the changing seasons, both in terms of weather and of gradual modernity, of a rural English seaside community. The first half of the book concerns itself with the principle men of the village of Mellstock who are proud members of the Mellstock quire. It is their job to provide vocal and instrumental accompaniment to the musical portion of Sunday services. However, the new vicar of Mellstock parish decides it is time for the hamlet to join the modern world and proposes to introduce into the church an organ, a fact which causes much consternation amongst the quire members.
The second half focuses it's attention on one of the quire's members young Dick Dewy, the tranter's son, and his sweetheart Miss Fancy Day, the schoolmistress. Their romantic road has many bumps the main one being Fancy's father who thinks Dick is not good enough for her. Mr. Day would rather see his daughter marry the wealthy farmer Mr. Shiner.
Overall, I must say I enjoyed the first half of the novel more than the second. I found the troubles of the village quire to be much more amusing than Dick and Fancy's rocky romance. Though I liked Dick, Fancy was not my idea of a model heroine. She was flirtatious, selfish and deceitful. I suppose she does, more or less, learn her lesson in the end but she still did not go on my list of literary favorites.
There were only a few points of possible concern in the story. An older woman remembers trying out a spell from a witch's book when she was younger (such instances were fairly common in the country at that time). Fancy consults a woman who is believed to be a witch (she has a pointy nose which is enough for the imaginative locals), but the woman's advice has nothing to do with magic. Both of these parts are short and can be easily skipped over. Dick and Fancy are secretly engaged for several months and they kiss several times. Overall though, their romance is pretty clean.
At times the book can be difficult to read as Hardy wrote the conversations in the accent of the county in which the story takes place but it is these conversations which give the novel it's charm.
Author: Thomas Hardy
First Edition Published: 1872
Divided into five parts (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Conclusion) Thomas Hardy's novel "Under the Greenwood Tree"revolves around the changing seasons, both in terms of weather and of gradual modernity, of a rural English seaside community. The first half of the book concerns itself with the principle men of the village of Mellstock who are proud members of the Mellstock quire. It is their job to provide vocal and instrumental accompaniment to the musical portion of Sunday services. However, the new vicar of Mellstock parish decides it is time for the hamlet to join the modern world and proposes to introduce into the church an organ, a fact which causes much consternation amongst the quire members.
The second half focuses it's attention on one of the quire's members young Dick Dewy, the tranter's son, and his sweetheart Miss Fancy Day, the schoolmistress. Their romantic road has many bumps the main one being Fancy's father who thinks Dick is not good enough for her. Mr. Day would rather see his daughter marry the wealthy farmer Mr. Shiner.
Overall, I must say I enjoyed the first half of the novel more than the second. I found the troubles of the village quire to be much more amusing than Dick and Fancy's rocky romance. Though I liked Dick, Fancy was not my idea of a model heroine. She was flirtatious, selfish and deceitful. I suppose she does, more or less, learn her lesson in the end but she still did not go on my list of literary favorites.
There were only a few points of possible concern in the story. An older woman remembers trying out a spell from a witch's book when she was younger (such instances were fairly common in the country at that time). Fancy consults a woman who is believed to be a witch (she has a pointy nose which is enough for the imaginative locals), but the woman's advice has nothing to do with magic. Both of these parts are short and can be easily skipped over. Dick and Fancy are secretly engaged for several months and they kiss several times. Overall though, their romance is pretty clean.
At times the book can be difficult to read as Hardy wrote the conversations in the accent of the county in which the story takes place but it is these conversations which give the novel it's charm.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Quotables
"Who has the right words at the right time?" -Charlotte Bronte
"Joy can be sustained only as long as it's source is constant..."
-Lydia Brownback, "Joy: A Godly Woman's Adornment"
"...hope does not produce shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Sprit who has been given to us." -Romans 5:5
"The Starry Night", Vincent van Gogh, 1889
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Like Me Please!
The Shop Girl, James Jacques Joseph Tissot, 1883-1885
I set up a Facebook page for my Etsy shop. Please stop by if you have a minute! I would love a like or a share if you can. The more people who see it the better!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Vintage Simplicity 2002 - in miniature
We had an icy snow last week which made getting out of the house quite difficult and going to Hancock's to get the thread I needed quite impossible! I had planned to make another dress for the shop but with the ice and the lack of thread... so instead I dug through my scraps and made a new outfit for Paige. I really really wanted to use the floral material but there just wasn't enough for a whole dress. I found the check fabric and was inspired by one of my vintage patterns and I think you know the rest! Oh, and no, I did not make the pattern myself, I altered a basic doll dress pattern I had. The little petticoat is just three rectangles (one muslin, two tulle) gathered into a waistband. I made the socks and shoes using this book. The shoes were not as hard as I thought they would be but I still have glue on fingers!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Thanksgiving
'Do all things without grumbling or questioning.'
- Philippians 2:14 (ESV)
' "All things" means all things, because there is nothing-absolutely nothing-that touches our lives that somehow slipped through the cracks of [God's] providential ordering.'
- Lydia Brownback, Joy: A Godly Woman's Adornment
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Inspire - Post One
1. I love the contrast of the white on the gray.
2. These are crepe paper ruffles, kinda neat. I however mostly saved it for the color combo.
3. I would like to recreate this headband, but maybe without as many flowers?
4. Isn't she cute!
love, June
Paper Relics
Such Pretty Things
Sugar*Sugar
Saturday, January 8, 2011
January Reading List
"So, what are you reading now?" is a popular question amongst myself and my friends. You can tell a lot about a person from what they read... or don't read. I decided to post about what books I plan to read each month (and hopefully, though I make no promises, short reviews when I finish them). As you will see, I enjoy a variety of genres and try to mix light and heavy books. I am also doing some previewing for my little sister. So, here we go! January's list:
Joy: A Godly Woman's Adornment by Lydia Brownback
Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Yes, I have this edition! It was on sale at Anthro!
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
What do think? I would love to hear your thoughts! Do you find book reviews useful, or not so much? Have you read any of these? If so, are they good or am I wasting my time?
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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