Inspiration Thursday! On the subject of hearts.

The tiny white dot in the center of this picture has changed my life. I know saying something changed your life is a bit overused ("This new face cream changed my life!"), but it really changed my life. When I first saw it, it was a little white light pulsing on a screen... flashing, flashing, flashing. I wasn't even sure what it was I was seeing... flashing, flashing, flashing.

Then they said, "there's the heart."

And my life changed.

- Baby Swider @ 6 weeks

DIY Monday: We Three Kings

It's November. This year has blown by me and I can't quite believe it's here. November brings memories of holiday preparation and the excitement of Christmas pageants to come. I guess that's why things like random bits of trim and fabric catch my eye.

It usually happens like this: I'm rummaging through a box and I see a piece of fabric, braid, ribbon or trim that would make a great costume. You see, I was trained this way. I can't really help it. I spent my childhood rummaging through the bargain rooms of fabric stores looking for fabrics, trims or ribbons that would make a good costume. And this time of year it usually had something to do with a Christmas concert at church. Whether a chiffon head scarf for Mary or a striped fabric for Joseph, we were always looking for things that would create the illusion of Biblical times. Fake leather became a Roman officer's uniform. Silver fabrics were turned into helmets. We were always watching for "period appropriate" fabrics for outer robes for the disciples and a piece of rope was often called into service as a belt.

And so as I was rummaging through a box at an estate sale, this beautiful trim caught my eye. I could just see it on Herod's crown - because from the audience the gold, red and green would sparkle like jewels. And Mama thinks my compulsive organizing is a sickness....

Vintage Wednesday: Barkcloth

Recently I found a pair of curtains made of barkcloth. Barkcloth is a fabric that has a crinkled texture like the bark of a tree and takes it's name from a cloth popular at one time in Asia that was actually made from tree bark. You can find an interesting history of that here.

Barkcloth was a popular textile in the 40s, 50s and into the 60s. Vintage textiles often had tropical flowers or birds or abstract prints. Fabrics from the 50s often incorporated "atomic" designs. My favorites have bright bursts of color.

Barkcloth was often used for upholstering, curtains and accessories, but was also used in clothing. It can still be found in fabric stores today. The colors and patterns are still bold, but to me there's nothing like a vintage piece of barkcloth fabric.

DIY Monday: Krylon Looking Glass Mirror Paint

It's been a while since I first learned about this paint, and it took a little time to find. I wasn't successful finding it at my local craft stores, so I had to order it online. Since it's a little pricey, I have been waiting for the perfect project to try it out.

I changed the quilt on our bed about two months ago and since then I've been looking for the right art to put over our bed - as anyone will tell you I'm of the belief that "white space" is great in an ad, but not something I like in my home. So having a stash of old frames I found one that I think will work with the other things I'm pulling together and tried it out.

First I cleaned the glass thoroughly on both sides. Then, following the instructions I used a well-shaken can to put on the first, thin layer of paint. I shook a little more while I was waiting the directed minute between layers (to let the solvents evaporate) and then sprayed another thin layer. I repeated this 5 times and sure enough on the 5th layer I could see that the paint had pretty much turned opaque by that last layer.

Emerging a little light headed (the smell is very strong), I put the glass in a place where it could safely dry. About 12 hours later, the result is an antique mirror-like finish. I wouldn't say it looks like a new mirror, but there's definitely a reflection that looks a lot like some of the older mirrors I have that have been dulled by time.

I think in the future I may use this paint to spruce up some of the old metal frames I find at estate sales. It's not chrome shiny, but it'll add just the right finish to frames that others may be tempted to just toss. Overall, I think this was worth the time to track down and try!

Vintage Wednesday: Tobacco Flannels

I was recently lucky enough to find a tobacco flannel at an estate sale. The guy checking me out shook his head when I walked up with the flannel - not expecting that I'd know what it was. In a way, I didn't as I'd always called them cigar box flannels. After doing some research, however, I've found that the correct name is probably tobacco flannel or tobacco felt. It seems cigar box collectors have challenged the thought that they were included in cigar boxes, though they really are the right size!

These were included as incentives for buying tobacco in the late part of the 19th Century into the early part of the 20th Century in the U.S. I understand that popularity waned with WWI, which makes sense given trends at the time. They come in different shapes and sizes (this one is one of the larger ones I've seen). Flags were a popular theme, but I've also seen butterflies and even a beaver.

I imagine the reason I knew what this was is that I'd seen them used in quilts. Industrious women apparently saw the beauty in these long before I graced the planet. I've also seen some beautiful example of silk cigar ribbons made into quilts or table covers.

I'm not sure what I'll do with this little beauty yet, but I sure am glad I found it!

Inspiration Thursday! Missing home.

It seems like I just wrote about our vacation - stealing those last warm, sunny days - and fall blew into DC. I'm not complaining, mind you. Fall is one of my favorite seasons. Fall is when I acquired new school supplies in anticipation of a new school year. Fall is when the air becomes crisp. Fall brings the kind of sleeping weather where you can leave the windows open and wake up perfectly snug in a quilt.

Although I've lived in the DC area for 15 years now and have a home of my own, I tend to long for "home" this time of year - West Virginia is the home I long to see. When I was in college, our choir sang "My Home Among the Hills." There's a land of rolling mountains, where the sky is blue above. And though I may roam, I hurry home to the friendly hills I love... there autumn hill sides are bright with scarlet trees....

That's what I miss the most in this season, the rolling mountains of color. It's a sea of reds, greens, yellows, oranges or the harder to define colors like a coral or chartreuse that give my hills life in autumn. The color blankets the hills in undulating waves that coat the Appalachians like my quilt covers me in warmth. Although it's the end of their cycle, those leaves give a last burst of life that even now I see in my mind long after they're dust on a forest floor. It's life. It's comforting. It's home.

And so as it turns chilly, my feet itch to return to my home among the hills so I can tuck away another WV autumn in my heart.

Inspiration Thursday! Defining Vacation.

We just got back from vacation. A lovely vacation complete with a swimming pool, views of the water, walks on a deserted beach, kayak exploration, fresh seafood and sunsets beautiful enough to bring tears to your eyes. For many people I know, "vacation" means going to the beach: you pile your family into a car, you drive to the beach and you enjoy the sunshine. Period. I can't say, however, this was my experience growing up. Vacation - in my family - involved three possible scenarios.

The first scenario was a trip to Tennessee via Kentucky to visit family. Twice a year we'd pile into a car - a ~tiny~ Toyota Tercel in my teen years - and drive 12 to 14 hours on roads like the "Purchase Parkway" past "the castle" to spend at least two weeks at my grandparents farm. In Hornbeak. West Tennessee.

Those vacations were usually spent rowing on the lake behind my grandparents house, lassoing the Tennessee Walkers for some wild rides or roaming the fields or gardens that made up the farm. Occasionally we'd walk into the woods and swing on the swing my father put up for my grandmother. We'd stand at the top of the hill and pull our legs up to swing down the hill and oh so high on the other side. This is where I learned about "frog gigging", crafting a barbecue pit, had a wrestling match with a barbed wire fence that left a scar, and learned the importance of wearing shoes in copperhead country. At night we kids "performed" shows for the adults, sang around the piano or playing a deadly game of Chinese Checkers with my grandmother - the queen of Chinese Checkers. One memorable year, a little Shetland pony lived outside the window of my bedroom calling to me in the morning to get up and come out and play. This was most often my family's definition of vacation.

The second scenario was the working vacation. Mama was an artist who did shows up and down the East Coast. A "show" could be defined as an outdoor arts festival (with lightening, wind and rain), a museum exhibit or a convention floor fair with a 100,000 person gate. Again, we piled people, luggage, stock, display cases and a booth into or on top of that little Toyota Tercel and drove off to some far away place. We'd talk our hearts out trying to sell Mama's wares, answering questions like, "Are they made of fudge?" and, "How does she MAKE them?" knowing we'd all be richer for those sales if we could keep them talking long enough for Mama to close the deal.

And after the show was done, the booth taken down and whatever stock was left packed back into - or onto - the car, the treat would come. Mama would always find a way to do something special like taking us to a movie or spending a couple days exploring the area on our way home. Once, right before my sophomore year in high school, she took me on a shopping trip in the local mall where I got a raspberry beret a la Prince. I felt so wicked! Thankfully, Mama never fully understood what that was all about... or maybe she did?

The third scenario was an extra special treat. It was a "vacation" where we didn't visit family and we didn't have to work. Our sole purpose was to see something new and exciting, to stay in a hotel room and eat out - all things very exotic on my father's college professor salary. Mama would save up and find deals to make these trips. I can count these vacations on my fingers they were so rare. They were incredibly special and shaped our lives in ways my parents may have intended, but may not have imagined. One of these trips was a visit to DC when I was about eight. Standing behind their bench seat of our Buick LaSabre (prior to seat belt laws), I told my parents I'd work and live on Embassy Row when I grew up. And I did.

So no. We didn't go to the beach and spend a week on the water. We didn't pull out the beach chairs and pails, coolers and umbrellas. I only saw the ocean twice before my 20s and one of those times was in December (after a show).

This "going to the beach" thing is still new to me. I'm learning not to feel guilty with the luxury of it all. My constant is that just like my Mama, I save, find deals and work to make it the best adventure ever - or at least to feel like it is in the moment. And though "vacation" is defined differently than it was when I was a child, it's an adventure still. And that's a tradition I intend to treasure.

Inspiration Thursday! Do you have a great idea?

Apparently there's a new reality show in town. Or there's going to be. I'm not sure.

The first I heard of this company called Quirky was through a friend who'd posted an article - "Quirky: The Solution to the Innovator's Dilemma". She'd posted Entrepreneur Magazine's profile of the company and it's owner on FB. It's an amazing article for people who dream big dreams, but have no idea how to make them a reality.

Quirky was founded by Ben Kaufman, a young man who had invented a set of headphones in college and worked his way through the process of getting them produced and sold. Having gone through the pain - and the investment - of getting an invention into the market, he saw an opportunity for a business. Quirky helps other inventors get their products to market. You have the idea, bring it to the Quirky masses, they vote on their favorites and the top pick gets put into production once a certain number of people pledge that they'll buy the product. The catch? Since Quirky is investing the money in the design and production phases, they take a cut in the profits. The good thing for inventors, though, is that you see your product come to life and you too get a cut in the profits.

To learn a little more, you can see the Sundance Channel's new show about the company on Hulu or you can wait for the premiere on the 30th. This first episode follows the design and production of two products. One of those products  - Pivot Power - is estimated to pull in roughly $125,000 this year for the inventor. He's a recently-graduated design student who thought $10,000 was a lot of money! I'm hoping this is the first of many of these shows.

So what about you? Do you have a great idea whose time has come? Well, get submitting already!

**Photo is from Quirky.com - check it out!!

DIY Monday: Estate Sale Score Re-do

I subscribe to the email list of a local Estate Sale company and most weeks I faithfully check their website's "Current Sales" page to see what's coming at the weekend. I spent a good bit of last week in great anticipation of the sale last weekend. You see, not all estate sales are created equally.

Some estate sales are clean and pristine. Someone's already gone through the house and picked through. There are no piled up closets, no hidden cubby holes filled with newspaper and boxes, no spidery basements with wooden crates of stuff in these clean and pristine houses. They may have a few pieces of china and silver and crystal, but they don't necessarily speak to my treasure hunting heart.

This past weekend, however, my MIL (who is also a treasure hunter at heart) and I hit the gold standard of estate sales. It was a sale with a garage filled with boxes, trunks and crates that were, in turn, filled with everything a treasure hunter would want. It was a house with linens galore. It was a house with cubbys and closets full of stuff. A cook, a reader, a collector who had traveled - a treasure hunter's dream.

I was in the last room when I saw them. In fact, I saw a stack of them walking out the door and kicked myself for not getting there even 30 minutes earlier because the price was fantastic. But then, when digging through vintage clothing in the closet, I found them... two of them: vintage metal card catalog files.

I've been looking for a vintage set of these for years with no luck. Granted I've been looking for wooden versions, but what I've found have ranged in price from $800 to $3,000. And here in front of me was a set of 30 for $12. TWELVE DOLLARS!

After controlling my hyperventilating, I found my MIL and explained that if I left these here I'd never forgive myself (upon which she insisted we get them), we found help to get them to the car, quickly paid for them and hauled them home to try and convince my husband of their value.

Although I'm perfectly happy with the set - or would be after wiping them down a little - the hubby isn't happy with the color and insists we paint them. Since I'm not worried about the value of these babies (like I'm ever going to get rid of them), I agreed. But after nixing brown, we've settled on a blue/green... or as blue/green as I can get in a spray paint. I'll show you the steps in the next couple weeks! I'm hoping hubby will forgive me when they're done!

Foodie Friday: Grits Y'all

Since we're talking Southern food lately, I thought I'd give y'all a tip on making grits. The key to making good grits is to use milk instead of water. Mama still uses instant grits, but she makes them with milk to make them creamier!

Just use the portions listed on the side of the box substituting milk for water and stirring constantly as the milk heats (so it doesn't stick or scorch). Pour in your grits and stir until they're done (again, check the box for how long it should take). Put in a pat of butter and you've got some kind of delicious!

DIY Monday: Dreaming up a design

One of the hardest things to do in creating a design can be visualizing how the finished design will look. Some are gifted with a clear vision while others can only see the full picture when the design is finished. Some people buy architectural or design magazines and tear out pictures that they like. Others may search the book aisle at their local home improvement or the design section at Barnes and Noble to find inspiration. Still others may go straight to the source - the cabinet maker, the tile store, the appliance section, or even a craft fair - to get that spark that fires design.

I recently found a site that's helped me with a design. It's called Houzz. My husband and I have been arguing over a project. I see clearly how it should be done, but no matter how much I've drawn it out and explained the steps, he can't see enough to be comfortable to move forward with the design. So I've spent some time perusing the pictures on Houzz, adding to my photo ideabook to somehow convey that this design idea will WORK in our space. It's a wonderful tool to get design ideas and get comfortable with your design ideas. Now on to trying to convince the husband that this dream can become a reality on our DIY budget! You'll know soon!

Foodie Friday: Southern Cooking

Y'all know what country ham is? Or side meat? Unfortunately, I do. And even more unfortunately I find it delicious.

One of my most pleasant memories of my grandparents' house is waking up to a good old Southern breakfast. Daddy Doug (my grandfather) would wake us up just in time to grab biscuits (made with lard) hot out of the oven. He'd have been up cooking up some country ham, eggs, biscuits, red-eye gravy and oatmeal (that he would later douse with sugar, cream and butter). Talk about a feast!

We'd have a difficult choice to make. You see biscuits could hold some ham, be covered in molasses or homemade jam OR be drizzled with red-eye gravy. And because I'd bet many of you don't know what this is much less how you'd make it, I'm here to oblige.

After you fry up your country ham, pour off the grease from the pan (my uncle keeps this fat to season other cooking). You should have little bits and pieces of ham "drippings" left in your pan. Pour in some water - enough to completely cover the surface with extra depth left over. Put the pan back on the heat and stir the mixture until it comes to a boil. Allow it to simmer until the water turns the color of the drippings. You then pour it into a dish or serve over biscuits.


I know, I know: heart attack on a stick. But oh so good!

P.S. Daddy Doug lived to be 87 years old and his wife lived to 90!

Inspiration Thursday! The lessons of a garden.

It's hot as you know where around here and has been for what seems like weeks. Living in a condo, I've tried to re-create my Mother's garden in containers, but my poor plants just aren't surviving in all this heat. Sometimes no matter how much I water, the plants just don't make it.

Growing up, we had a gardener's paradise in our backyard. Our yard had once been a park, so we had a 100 year old hydrangea tree we could climb, an 8 foot tall lilac tree and flame azaleas that created a kind of fence around the yard's border. We had huge clumps of peonies and daffodils that announced the spring. There was a fish pond flanked by bowing rhododendron that when drained made a lovely "house". Stone paths wended their way through carpets of forget-me-nots, blue violets and grape hyacinth through the summer. Many summer afternoons were spent picking handfuls of violets for Mama - they didn't last more than an hour, but she would always carefully put them in a little vase and place them in her kitchen window so she could see them as she cooked.

In the midst of this,  Mama had a rock garden. Her vision was a sustainable perennial garden full of wildflowers. For years we worked to get the soil just right, the sun just right, the water just right. We'd get a beautiful clump of butterfly weed or black eyed Susan going and it would flourish for years, only to die after a particularly difficult winter. We had a lovely patch of pinks that grew on a rock for five or six years, but that too is now gone. As I'm facing the frustration of trying to keep my container flowers alive, I'm reminded of all those years in Mama's garden and the lessons I learned.

First, there's a time and a season. As much as I love the peonies and emperor iris, they don't bloom all year long. They burst in spring with their heady fragrance, riot of color and delicate petals, but the hot sun of summer is too much for their fragile hearts. They bring so much joy in their short season, but their life cycle always ends too soon for me.

Second, sometimes you have to persevere when the odds are against you. Every year, we'd start that garden with high hopes. We'd take our meager budget and pick out a few new perennials to add to our garden hoping they'd thrive, but knowing most of our good work didn't make it through the winter. Still, we faithfully weeded, dug the dirt, added the fertilizer and cared for them through one glorious season. We found the joy in doing when we didn't know whether we'd succeed in the long term.

Third, sometimes it's all in the dirt in which you're planted. Mama loves butterfly weed. Even now, we play "spot the butterfly weed" as we drive across the state. You'll see huge clumps of these vibrant orange flowers in the most bizarre places - rocky outcroppings, up the sunny side of a mountain or even growing out of gravel on the side of the road. Somehow these plants seem to thrive in these terrible, rocky soils. But put butterfly weed in a cultivated garden with rich soil, water and careful tending and it just doesn't seem to make it. We could never get it to thrive no matter how hard we tried. It came down to where you put your roots.

Mama's still working toward her dream. When I was home this spring we went again to the nursery to pick out some foxglove, delphinium and lavender. I weeded the garden to ready the soil for her planting. And even now she's struggling to keep the garden lush in August's heat. But Mama knew - because her Mother taught her too - the lessons of digging in the dirt. And I'm thankful she passed them on to me.

Vintage Wednesday: Finding your passion.

Mama's got a new passion. I can't blame her because it's a passion of mine too. She's started collecting Van Briggle pottery - in Ming blue. And she's taught me a couple things as she's pursued this passion.

It started with the vase above (nestled among another of her collections). She knew it was Van Briggle. She liked the color. She liked the flower (a columbine). She got the vase, and started a new collection.

She found that this particular color was inspired by Chinese pottery. Founder Artus Van Briggle was interested in Chinese glazes - particularly the dead glaze process used during the Ming Dynasty. Ming blue is a color you'll see in all the decades of Van Briggle pottery. Some collectors note you can guess at the decade in which the pottery is produced by the highlights (or lack thereof) made by the darker blue overglaze.

Whether the color of the Colorado sky or inspired by ancient Chinese art, I'm sure it's inspired passion in many a collector's heart.

DIY Monday: Wedding Planning

Another friend has asked me to help with their wedding, but this time they need help with more than just the flowers. I thought I'd use the DIY space to lay out some of the things you need to think about with DIY wedding planning.

I find when I'm planning that it helps to visualize the ceremony and reception to help you think through the process. Since I'm not doing the actual ceremony, I don't have to think about those details. I'm left with the actual reception site.

After you've secured your date and determined your reception site, you might be lucky enough to have someone at the site to help you coordinate. If you're doing this in a back yard or random building lobby, however, you might not have that critical help. If that's the case, I might be able to help you think through a couple things.

First, visualize yourself walking through the reception. What do you see?

I'd start with tables. Are there tables available? How many will you need? How will you decorate them? Will you need to rent china and silverware? How about linens? Chairs?

Start by determining the number of people you think will be at the reception. I've never been to a wedding reception in which all the people invited show up, but I've heard of receptions that had people show up uninvited. Plan on a lesser number of people than you invite (I used 80%) and finalize that number when you've received your replies. Any vendor I've ever worked with has been accommodating with respect to planning and numbers.

Map out the number of guests that can sit at a table - ask the rental company to help you with this. There are different sizes of tables that can seat a different number of people. Ask them to help you determine what size and how many you'll need. The number of chairs will follow from this decision.

Then, think about what those tables will look like. What color tablecloth will you use? What about glasses, plates and silverware? One place setting - including dinner and dessert plate for a simple wedding. Salt and pepper shakers? At least one per table. Do you want a runner or overskirt? Some brides like to layer their tables to add color. Often brides like to coordinate the wedding colors with the reception decorations - including the flowers on the tables.

Make sure you've left room for food tables if you're doing a buffet. Food tables look better if you have a flower arrangement on them. And if you're doing the food yourself, you'll need to rent chafing dishes to serve the food.

Don't forget a table for the cake. You'll also need a knife to cut and serve as well as dessert plates and forks specially for the cake service.

You might want to decorate the reception site. That could include table decorations or flowers. It might also include favors at each place setting. What about votive candles? Think about whether you want place cards for your guests. Will you have a DJ or live music? Do you want space for dancing? How about someone to stand with your gifts if people bring gifts to the reception site?

These are some of the questions you should consider when planning a reception. Next week, I'll talk about another aspect of planning a wedding - the flowers.

DIY Monday: Flower arranging tip

I asked a friend to help me with a wedding a couple weeks ago and she was asking about making a tape grid to hold flowers in a square vase. There's a special floral tape that's water resistant and skinny enough to make a grid on a small vase opening.

It's called "clear floral tape" and it's made by the Oasis company - the same people who make the floral foam. I finally found mine at save-on-crafts.com (after much searching).

Before you arrange your flowers, you make a simple grid (like a 9 patch quilt by using 2 strips of tape one way and 2 strips of tape the other way) with this tape at the top of the vase - don't make the ends too long or they'll show under your arrangement. Also make sure you keep a center square so that you'll be able to make a center in your arrangement. Add your water and preservative after you've made the grid and use the grid to help keep your flowers in place.

Foodie Friday: Crock Pot Roast Gravy

Last week I did a pot roast in the crock pot and whipped up a gravy to go with it. You can use this basic recipe to make a beef gravy or a chicken gravy - all you need is the broth from your roast.

The basic recipe is simple. Take about 3 Tbsp. of butter and melt it in a saucepan. Sprinkle on about 3 Tbsp. of flour and mix it in until it browns up and isn't lumpy - called a roux (pronounced rue). Add several cups of the broth from your roast and simmer until it thickens up. Add some salt and pepper and you're ready to serve. Delicious!

Inspiration Thursday! Simple gifts

The notes of the wind chime blowing in the breeze.
The quiet of the forest marred only by the chattering of birds.

The sun shining on blooms I've planted and patiently watered so they'd grow.

These are the simple gifts I can find if I only look out the door... and take the time to listen.

What are your simple gifts? Are you looking around to see them? What do they say to you?