New Work...

Hi everybody! Today (now it would yesterday) was a very busy day. My DH and I went out with some other people from our church and participated at the Church Fair at the college here in town. We had a good time and got to meet several people. However, it was very hot and the sun was blazing. We were there from 11-2 and it was outside. It was exciting because as part of my new job at the church, I got to design the fliers we handed out.

This evening I have been working on the image that I will use for the marriage retreat I am heading up in the fall. Here are the two ideas I've had, both are very different from each other. Let me know which one you like the best so I can decide which one to use a little easier.

These ducks were at the gardens we went to while visiting Florida.

The above picture is actually from my wedding!

Show and Tell Friday for August 17th...

Happy Friday to everyone! It cannot believe that another week is coming to a close. Summer is quickly ending. However, today Kelli is once again hosting Show & Tell Friday. So why don't you join us?

This week I would like to show everyone an apron that my Grandmother gave me for my birthday this year. It is a vintage apron with beautiful hand embroidery. I love vintage aprons and my Grandma said that as soon as she saw it, she knew I would love it. It has ric-rac sewn onto the edge to give it some personality and a button waist closure.


Because I have always wanted to learn how to embroider, the apron gave me an idea. My Grandma knows how to embroider. So, I asked her if she would help me make a reproduction of the apron she gave me so that she could teach the stitches. We spent two days together talking and visiting while we worked on it. We didn't get it finished but I will share pictures of it when I do.

Thanks for sharing Show and Tell Friday with me. Go on over to Kelli's and join in on the fun.

The Closet Episode...

Okay, so early last week, I was sitting at my desk (which is right next to the closet) and I started hearing this sound kind of like water. I look up, and the shelf started falling. The end result was a big hole in the wall and clothes all over the place.


Of course, since I did not think that the closet was organized to produce the most storage space, I asked my husband if we could completely redo the shelving. I decided that I wanted the wire track shelving like we put installed in my laundry room. So, when my DH and I went to Lowe's to price the supplies we started thinking about redoing the two other closets as well. All of them had a great deal of wasted space and in our little house I can use all the storage space I can get. They all had a single shelf that basically split the space between the floor and the ceiling, that was it.

My DH and I wound up having to repaint the closets and patch the walls. So, this translated into the whole back of our house looking more like a tornado had just gone by. The beds were piled up with clothes and boxes.









We finished the closets on Friday and I am very happy with the way they turned out. I gained a whole lot more storage space. For instance in one closet, instead of just having 1 9' shelf. I now have 2 9' shelves, 2 4' shelves, and 4 18" shelves. I actually have more storage than I need for once. Here are the end results, the one on the right is the same closet as in the previous pictures.
I turned the little closet in our bedroom into a double hang closet. I am using the other closet to hold coats and dresses.














I also got ride of two trash bags full of clothes and shoes because they either didn't fit or I didn't wear them.

Yummy Carrot Cake...

My, my! It has been two weeks since I last posted, that it pitiful. However, I do have a lot to show for my brief absence. My DH and I have gotten a whole lot accomplished around here.

One thing I have done was have some dear friends over for dinner. For dessert, I made my DH's favorite, Paula Dean's Carrot Cake. It disappeared a few days later, with some help from my DH and I and our friends. It was very good though. The Recipe is from The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook.

Grandma Hier's Carrot Cake
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 c. grated carrots
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil and mix well: add carrots and pecans. Pour into three 9-inch round greased, floured pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxpaper, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
8 Tbl. (1 stick) butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients except for nut and beat until fluffy. Stir in nuts. Frost cake.

Welcome August...

Wow! I really can't believe that the summer is almost over. It went by so very quickly. However, a new month is now upon us and hot it may be. I hope that before the school year starts, you get the chance to have a picnic with those you love and a chance to enjoy the sunshine. On these hot summer days when the sun is shining bright I am reminded of a song from my childhood.

"This is the day...that the Lord has made...I will rejoice...and be glad in it."

August will once again bring a routine and schedule to my household. With the summer, my DH and I are more likely to stay up late and in turn sleep later than we should as well. So, in some ways I am looking forward to school starting back. I have been getting the ground work for my new job laid out and preparing our house for the fall. At the very end of August, my family will be visiting from Florida and I am very excited about that.

So that being said, I would like to wish a happy August filled with blessing from above!