tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-384307132011-11-20T20:05:19.249-05:00"In repentance and rest is your salvation,<br> in quietness and confidence is your strength."<br> --Isaiah 30:15Lauranoreply@blogger.comBlogger3131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-16199722353633307072010-06-17T01:06:00.000-04:002010-06-17T01:06:26.675-04:00

I'm back! First of all, I must apologize for having you add me to your feed reader, only to change my address on you! My new blog address is now http://www.quietudeblog.blogspot.com/ Blogger discontinued FTP support recently and it seemed like a good time to switch over to a new address; one that fits my blog a little better than the old one. ;-) (If you have always wondered, the bitter gamer is

Lauranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-58652680376992818652010-06-16T23:25:00.001-04:002010-06-16T23:25:36.791-04:00

This blog is now located at __FTP_MIGRATION_NEW_URL__. You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here. For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to __FTP_MIGRATION_FEED_URL__.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-30457663407191834212010-03-04T12:24:00.004-05:002010-03-04T12:31:26.967-05:00

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know I'll be taking a bit of a blogging break. When I come back I plan to have a new design and a fresh focus, among other things. I am not sure exactly when that will be, but a good way to be notified is to add my blog to your feed reader (something I recently enabled -- not sure why I had that option turned off for so long... silly me). See you again

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-4827558537465720212010-02-21T16:14:00.003-05:002010-02-21T16:31:13.214-05:00

My mom sent me some wooden baby hangers that she found at a store that was going out of business. They are a great shape, but they were plain white with an ugly "Taggies" logo smack in the middle. Using this tutorial, I gave them a facelift with scrapbooking paper. The end result is quite worthy of display.The crocheted blanket on which they're laying was one of the many beautiful handmade

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-69398840747722023792010-02-18T07:56:00.003-05:002010-02-18T08:12:16.062-05:00

I made up this salad for Valentine's Day dinner with my husband. It's sort of a conglomeration of various salads I've had over the years... but the end result is utterly delicious!! This recipe makes enough salad for two, so adjust your amounts as needed.2-3 c. baby spinach1 apple (I used Jonagold)~3 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled1/4 c. walnuts, chopped1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled2 T.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-4562832179654938682010-02-15T22:21:00.002-05:002010-02-15T22:54:07.176-05:00

First of all, if there are any men reading my blog, this post is not for you. Instead, go visit my dad's blog, CreationPath (although you still won't escape the nursing theme!!)....Now, I would not normally post pictures of my underwear on the Internet. :-) However, I made this tutorial in hopes that it will be helpful to other nursing moms. Since I've started breastfeeding, I've found that

Lauranoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-22788271631115175792010-02-10T14:19:00.005-05:002010-02-12T12:54:12.945-05:00

I recently finished my Ceylon dress from Colette Patterns and I LOVE how it turned out. This was my first time working with a Colette pattern but it was a super experience. It's well-designed and the instructions are great. Definitely worth the price!I went fabric shopping at Jo-Ann Fabrics to try to find something suitable for this project, but everything I saw was rather "blah." I

Lauranoreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-90344582844484063012010-02-08T13:46:00.003-05:002010-02-08T13:56:44.504-05:00

It's around this time of year that I begin pining for spring. After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, winter begins to drag and I'm ready for some warmth, already! Douglas kindly gave me these potted daffodils to lessen my impatience. As each bud unfurls, it's a reminder that it won't be long now...

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-1628342747326577482010-01-21T10:03:00.003-05:002010-01-21T10:09:50.639-05:00

I'm raaather excited as I just ordered the Ceylon dress from Colette Patterns last night. All my outside sewing obligations are finished up so I'm happy to have a fun new project to work on! It is much-needed, from my point of view, since none of my pre-pregnancy dresses currently fit me. I'm losing weight steadily but it will still be a few months before I'm back to "normal." I chose this

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-32924027039121231152010-01-09T14:22:00.001-05:002010-01-09T14:26:02.780-05:00

...just because!Edmund turned six weeks old on Thursday. He has grown so big (over 11 lbs.) and already his newborn clothes are too small. I'm putting him in 3-6 mos. onesies because the 0-3 mos. sizes just aren't long enough anymore! He's started making more expressive cries -- more whiney at times, rather than just the "scream-your-head-off" type -- and has begun to give us some sweet smiles

Lauranoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-48997895809752165782010-01-07T22:29:00.002-05:002010-01-07T22:32:54.891-05:00

We were blessed to be able to spend over two weeks at my parents' home in Nebraska over Christmas. Edmund was a great traveller and slept in his carseat the whole trip. We'd stop every few hours to nurse and change his diaper, and then be back on the road again. Edmund's now been in six states before he was six weeks old! His geography-loving daddy is quite proud of this. :-)Because my mom

Lauranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-68570379694713857582009-12-29T15:18:00.004-05:002009-12-29T15:44:04.212-05:00

I had great intentions of participating a bit more in my friend Emily's "A Homemade Christmas," but Edmund has kept me quite busy since his arrival! I did get one homemade gift made before he was born, which was a knitted hat for my brother, Nathan. I had some leftover yarn from a scarf I made him several years ago, so I decided to try to make a matching hat. I didn't have a pattern, but made

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-4586678552564125912009-12-23T22:04:00.005-05:002010-01-07T18:26:46.715-05:00

I have been thinking about what Christmas baking traditions I would like to start in my family. Last Christmas, I didn't do much baking other than some cinnamon rolls and gingerbread people. This year, I haven't done much either (having a newborn slows productivity), but I did manage to make these cranberry-pistachio biscotti from my mom's recipe box. I realized I've found recipe #1 for the

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-9587572413881955852009-12-16T10:32:00.000-05:002009-12-16T10:39:04.575-05:00

I first heard "Sing Lullaby" by Herbert Howells on a radio broadcast of Nine Lessons and Carols a few years ago. It's still one of the most beautiful and poignant pieces of Christmas music I've ever heard. Enjoy!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-72572751281516211732009-12-07T13:21:00.002-05:002009-12-07T13:31:30.549-05:00

Edmund Michael at one day oldThanks so much for all your well-wishes and congratulations! This past week and a half has been a wonderful time of getting to know Edmund while recuperating from the birth. My mom has been here to lend a helping hand and what a blessing that has been. Edmund is a deep sleeper, just like his Dad. :-) I have equal difficulty in waking them up at times! I love

Lauranoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-3284750114322047862009-11-29T02:32:00.002-05:002009-11-29T02:41:11.223-05:00

Our son, Edmund Michael, was born November 26 at 1:10 PM. He weighed 7 lbs. 1 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. Mother and baby are both doing well!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-59878181611211064542009-11-20T15:46:00.004-05:002009-11-20T16:04:08.613-05:00

I recently made a simple nursing cover from this tutorial, which I found through Lauren's blog. It is a simple rectangle of cotton with adjustable straps to go around the neck. It also has a length of boning between the straps to keep the cover stiff, so Mom can see Baby and Baby gets plenty of air circulation. I didn't make any changes, except my D-rings were 1" wide so I cut out my straps

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-26119526913617158352009-11-11T17:26:00.001-05:002009-11-11T17:34:55.742-05:00

My friend Keturah is coming for a visit, and thus provided me the incentive to get the baby's room cleared out and cleaned up. (It doubles as our guest bedroom, courtesy of an air mattress.) I must apologize for the less-than-stellar photos -- the lighting in the baby's room is horrible (one north-facing window on a gloomy day and one tabletop lamp!). But you'll get the idea!You may remember

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-54137003196264727512009-11-05T11:47:00.001-05:002009-11-05T11:47:24.132-05:00

"As they entered the little street, it was so dark with the promise of snow that the shops were being lighted. They were all decked out with holly, mistletoe, tinsel, crackers, toys, oranges, model Christmas trees with tapers and glass balls, apples, sweets, sucking pigs, sides of beef, turkeys, geese, Christmas cakes and big plum puddings.'I say, I do love Christmas,' Kay said."--The Box of

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-15757266897088196992009-10-27T16:46:00.004-04:002009-10-27T17:02:25.666-04:00

It's about time I did a masculine baby project! This is the counterpart to the girl's version I made earlier in the summer, in case we have a boy (which is actually my personal prediction, though my husband thinks we're having a girl). :) The pattern, once again, is Simplicity 2900. The fabric is a flannel-like houndstooth I found at Jo-Ann Fabrics, and the lining is a khaki-colored flannel I

Lauranoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-30156412462308939792009-10-25T19:39:00.004-04:002009-10-25T20:38:10.293-04:00

Here's my new maternity skirt from Simplicity 5756, which was given to me (along with a slew of other maternity patterns) by another young mom at our church. This was my first time working with a "real" maternity pattern, so I was very curious about how it would be constructed and how much I would like the final result. The skirt pattern is extremely simple -- two pieces of woven fabric plus a

Lauranoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-49042150052851293692009-10-22T14:43:00.003-04:002009-10-22T15:01:42.104-04:00

Here's a dress I made earlier in the month to wear to a wedding. The fabric is a synthetic charmuese from Jo-Ann Fabrics. I made it specifically to wear underneath this silk jacket that I made three years ago. Luckily I never did get around to putting a button closure on that jacket or else I wouldn't have been able to close it over my new bust measurement!! (I use a vintage brooch to hold it

Lauranoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-24731941434494976262009-10-19T14:34:00.002-04:002009-10-19T14:39:37.967-04:00

My parents sent this vintage tablecloth to us as a wedding anniversary present. My mom wrote, "The colors reminded me of your kitchen and the yellow wall of your living room. The vintage print of fruit and flowers reminded me of your love of history and tradition. It also reflects your wedded life -- fruitful and beautiful!"It has brought cheer to our meals -- although not when tomato sauce or

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-13440514395493347102009-10-17T15:03:00.003-04:002009-10-17T15:27:06.843-04:00

This is a small bit of decorating I've done in the baby's room. The shelf came from Hobby Lobby -- I painted it off-white and light blue, then added the Kate Greenaway illustrations from some notecards I found at a garage sale.I'm at 33 weeks today and I'm very grateful to the Lord for a healthy and easy pregnancy so far. As my due date gets closer I'm anticipating labor and looking forward to

Lauranoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-56914197744537644672009-10-10T10:39:00.000-04:002009-10-10T09:39:17.723-04:00

Potted mums... mine are on the left, Douglas' on the right. Also note that they are dripping wet with October rain.Apple-blackberry pie with REAL whipped cream, sprinkled with nutmeg. Luscious.Out come my woolly yarns and halted projects are begun once again.And of course the leaves are turning all kinds of vibrant, warm colors.My handsome Irish husband digs out his flatcap and sweaters! I

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-39116043116182125742009-10-05T15:39:00.004-04:002009-10-05T19:00:58.233-04:00

Douglas and I were happy to celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary yesterday. We had a low-key celebration, attending church in the morning and relaxing at home in the afternoon and evening. I fixed a special fondue dinner with imported Swiss gruyère and emmentaler cheeses. For dunking, we had French bread chunks, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, and pears. No photos to share because it all

Lauranoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-72551746913133257672009-09-29T15:21:00.005-04:002009-09-29T15:42:02.804-04:00

It has been a while since I've shared any music, but today our Internet connection is actually working well enough that I can get on YouTube! ;-) Here is a very moving, short piece by Henry Purcell based on Psalm 102:1 -- "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto thee." In the video it is performed by the choir of Clare College, Cambridge.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-15599957163433311822009-09-28T12:47:00.003-04:002009-09-28T12:56:55.927-04:00

Living in the countryside certainly keeps one in tune with the changing rhythms of nature. I took this photo of "our" soybean field about a week ago and already it is outdated. When the leaves turn yellow, they turn fast! Last night and today we have had high winds and any remaining dry leaves have been mostly whisked away, leaving the field a rather dreary brown... however, I imagine the view

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-25856561753664862812009-09-22T11:33:00.002-04:002009-09-22T11:37:00.730-04:00

This photo also comes from the museum where my sister-in-law works, which we visited this past summer. What I love most about this room is the voile curtains and the way they soften the light coming in to the crib.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-10064401741413427442009-09-19T15:40:00.001-04:002009-09-19T15:52:45.790-04:00

1 c. white flour1 c. whole wheat flour1/4 c. brown sugar1 heaping T. baking powder1 tsp. salt1 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. ginger1/2 tsp. ground cloves1/2 tsp. nutmeg2 T. wheat germ or ground flax seed (optional)2 T. oil1/4 c. molasses2 eggs1-3/4 milkBlend the dry ingredients together in large bowl. In a medium bowl, blend the wet ingredients, then mix with the dry ingredients until the batter is

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-24260353604135672812009-09-08T14:28:00.002-04:002009-09-08T14:30:18.231-04:00

These towels, alas, do not hang in my kitchen, but at the museum where my sister-in-law works. I dearly love the embroidery and stripes, though!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-21705839946085186052009-09-04T11:30:00.003-04:002009-09-04T11:43:31.424-04:00

Lunch was inspired by my morning walk along the Indiana roadside. Make medium white sauce by melting 3 tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 3 tbsp. flour and blend together, then add 1-1/2 c. milk. Cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly. (This will take forever unless you up the heat a little as you go. Just be careful not to scorch or scald the sauce. You can get

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-18580319397135419122009-09-02T16:07:00.002-04:002009-09-02T16:13:07.242-04:00

Last Saturday I found a few goodies at a garage sale up the road from our apartment. I don't think this lady had done a thorough clean-out since at least the 1950s! One item I picked up was this 1977 McCall's embroidery transfer book.There are a lot of cute motifs inside -- one of my favorites being this dog stacking blocks, which quickly went on to a plain white onesie:Sweet!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-83762863391389793632009-08-30T19:00:00.000-04:002009-08-30T19:01:24.394-04:00

Last Saturday I got inspired to do some fall sewing of my own. I love the color of this knit fabric -- a warm, autumnal purple. I didn't have a pattern, but I based it generally off of a maternity top I found at Goodwill, combined with a J. Crew boatneck tee. Douglas kindly fixed dinner so that I could sew it up in time to wear to church and a party the next day.Despite my lack of a pattern, I

Lauranoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-52201626682383637942009-08-21T11:36:00.004-04:002009-08-21T11:40:52.509-04:00

If you don't want to be in the mood for fall, then by all means DON'T click over to see Marjorie's coat-in-progress at My Cozy Little Whimsy Nook. If, on the other hand, you don't mind sighing over herringbone tweed, a scalloped collar, sweet gathers... well, go on!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-73381587712349566232009-08-13T15:24:00.003-04:002009-08-14T13:39:17.283-04:00

We have been having the most lovely, British weather this summer. My husband took these photos from our apartment balcony, which happily overlooks a serene soybean field, rustic farm buildings, and distant trees. It is a treat to sit out on our little "porch" in the early morning, (decaf) coffee in hand, and enjoy the perfect temperatures. In the evenings, we can watch the fireflies blinking

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-44671300647608205902009-08-13T15:11:00.002-04:002009-08-13T15:15:49.400-04:00

I just listed a variety of items on eBay -- some historical costumes, some vintage, some home-sewn, some modest skirts, some cute tops. Take a look!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-56117866751439641022009-08-08T07:31:00.002-04:002009-08-08T07:41:28.646-04:00

Earlier in the week, I made an impromptu quiche for dinner with ingredients we had on hand.start with a pie crustslice up two roma tomatoes and line the bottom of the crustchop up some broccoli and toss it incrumble a little feta cheese and scatter it aroundchiffonade any fresh basil you may be able to eke off your sickly basil plant and toss it inbeat up six or seven eggs, add a little soy milk

Lauranoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-44802576964901432222009-08-04T15:18:00.002-04:002009-08-04T15:55:29.112-04:00

I made up a maternity skirt last week out of some on-sale cotton from Jo-Ann's. I didn't have a pattern, but I used these instructions as a loose guide. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to add the elastic and knit band onto the cotton skirt. I anticipate making some more!At 22 weeks, I really cannot fit into anything non-maternity anymore. This has alerted me to the fact that

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-50297490574828808772009-07-27T12:22:00.003-04:002009-07-27T12:29:26.699-04:00

I bought some lemons at the farmer's market to make some old-fashioned lemonade as per the instructions in The Little House Cookbook. The result was far more refreshing than canned lemonade! I think I'm hooked on homemade lemonade as a summertime treat.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-84303827967828368012009-07-25T11:44:00.001-04:002009-07-25T11:44:41.442-04:00

While we were visiting our families earlier this summer, I raided my mom's scrap tubs (THREE in all) and pulled out this large gingham print. There wasn't much, but there was enough to make a '50s-style hostess apron. I added the voile ruffle from my own scrap tub, and hey presto! Particularly suitable for serving morning meals. :)

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-40047804970879224162009-07-23T16:14:00.000-04:002009-07-23T16:15:09.275-04:00

Another quick project from Simplicity 2900... and all from my stash, would you believe it? I even raided my spice cupboard to find the baby rick-rack that I used on the sleeves. I like how this '50s pattern takes on a '30s look just by using a cheerful print and adding rick-rack.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-5576791158479432262009-07-22T14:14:00.002-04:002009-07-22T14:24:59.494-04:00

This is one of the cutest baby jackets I've ever seen, if I do say it myself! The pattern is vintage reprint Simplicity 2900, and the vintage houndstooth wool comes from the scrap bag of my great-grandma. There was just the tiniest bit left -- as you can see, I had to piece the sleeves on, but since I was careful to be symmetrical I don't think it looks too weird. The jacket is lined with the

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-48438736965770826772009-07-16T17:12:00.001-04:002009-07-16T17:12:20.129-04:00

If you are wondering about the silence on my blog so far this July, it's because Douglas and I have just moved! We had planned to move into our new apartment on July 1st, but the best laid plans o' mice and men... 10 days later, we finally got in. The past week has been spent unpacking and organizing, with a little biscotti-baking thrown in when I needed a break.Since I haven't had reliable

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-37022654135691654712009-06-30T11:27:00.003-04:002009-06-30T11:32:47.654-04:00

I have a question for the Moms in the audience. :-) What features in a diaper bag do you find most indispensable? Inner pockets, outer pockets, plastic lining, outer keyring, zip closure, two handles, etc. Or something totally different? I realize this will change depending on the person and the lifestyle. For what it's worth, I plan on breastfeeding and and probably using a mixture of

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-36708794842300737992009-06-24T16:15:00.003-04:002009-06-24T16:22:14.000-04:00

For my birthday, my parents gave me a vintage, framed copy of the "Homemakers Creed" which they found at an estate sale. I would guess it is from the '40s. It is labelled "General Mills Inc." and "Betty Crocker," so it may have been associated with some kind of sales campaign. Anyway, I'll be hanging it in my kitchen where I can view it frequently for inspiration!HOMEMAKERS CREEDI

Lauranoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-80042907371704887912009-06-19T16:48:00.004-04:002009-06-19T17:02:01.889-04:00

In honor of my 26th birthday, I am going to stop being a lazy bum and post on my blog! :-) In all fairness, Douglas and I have been on the road the past two weeks -- first visiting his family in Colorado, and now we're staying with my parents. It's great to be "home" for my first birthday as a married woman!The family has helped with "baby fever" by digging out all kinds of old baby clothes,

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-82568904380263479622009-06-07T10:22:00.003-04:002009-06-07T10:26:21.763-04:00

The dress I hinted at in my last post is being made from EvaDress 7482 (short-sleeved view), with a skirt added on to the blouse. I sewed up most of the mock-up yesterday, and I'll be seeing my friend soon so I can fit it on her. Once done, I look forward to cutting into that luscious blue silk. If I can't fit into cute '30s styles myself, the next best thing is to sew for someone else!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-46976804850533905542009-06-05T18:15:00.003-04:002009-06-05T18:25:36.965-04:00

(click for larger picture)OK, this will probably be the last maternity sewing project for a while! I've got other fish to fry. (For one, a delectable '30s dress from a sapphire blue silk charmeuse! Alas, it's for a friend and not myself!) Anyway, Jo-Ann Fabrics had a sale on Simplicity patterns, so I picked up S2696 to make a summer top. The fabric is an old Indian-print sheet, cut to make

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-36412624304783875422009-05-30T15:52:00.003-04:002009-05-30T16:04:16.399-04:00

I am rapidly running out of clothes that fit (down to two elastic-waist skirts and one pair of maternity jeans), which motivated me to do a little sewing this week! The cotton gauze fabric was given to me several years ago by my friend Susan. I used Butterick 4685 (with modifications). Because the fabric is sheer, I lined it with muslin. At one point in the proceedings, the dress looked

Lauranoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-19146108101551842882009-05-26T19:19:00.003-04:002009-05-26T19:34:37.036-04:00

I am determined to try my hand at quilting and finish a baby quilt before Baby comes! I've chosen a block pattern (churn dash, as seen here) and drooled over reproduction fabrics. I think I will try to mix 'n' match fabrics from different lines to get more of an eclectic look to the quilt (hope this doesn't backfire on me!). Some of my favorites are here, here, and here.I'm taking my time over

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-19540619373955140632009-05-19T16:06:00.004-04:002009-05-19T16:21:13.038-04:00

I actually made this top way back in March (before I knew I was pregnant -- I just thought the style was cute). It's from a vintage pattern I won on eBay last summer. I used a linen blend from Jo-Ann Fabrics, but I'm not very happy with the fabric choice. It's a little stiffer than I thought it would be, so it doesn't drape very well, and the quality seems to be rather poor as it's already

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-64676020905603725212009-05-18T18:30:00.002-04:002009-05-18T18:33:29.591-04:00

Thanks, everyone, for all your well-wishes in regard to my previous post! Baby is due December 5th, so I am currently about 11 weeks along. We are all very excited and overjoyed that God has blessed our marriage in this way!I plan to have some maternity/baby sewing to share in the weeks to come! :-)

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-84728578570054665282009-05-15T08:42:00.002-04:002009-05-15T08:44:19.201-04:00

Lauranoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-76633528945888546182009-04-24T14:59:00.006-04:002009-04-24T15:18:36.524-04:00

[Excerpt taken from my 1909 Lippincott Juniors edition, with charming illustrations by Maria L. Kirk...]"So Diamond sat down again, took the baby in his lap, and began poking his face into its little body, laughing and singing all the while, so that the baby crowed like a little bantam. And what he sang was something like this -- such nonsense to those that couldn't understand it! but not to

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-39719379278352083752009-04-22T13:18:00.003-04:002009-04-22T13:23:53.516-04:00

A few weekends ago, my father-in-law and brother-in-law came out to join Douglas and I on a work-related road trip. One of our first stops was at this pretty covered bridge, dating from the late 1870s. According to one website, it was actually washed down the river about a mile during a 1913 flood, but the bridge was put on rollers and taken back to its original location, where it has stood

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-26034102692790204192009-04-13T11:21:00.002-04:002009-04-13T11:33:34.859-04:00

I am finding that spring in Indiana consists of a torturous weather cycle. The weather will show signs of warming up to glorious temperatures, reaching highs in the mid-60s, only to be followed by immediate rain, which brings things back down to near-freezing again. Sigh! I am trusting this won't last forever. ;-) When I do get the chance to walk outside, I enjoy all the cheerful daffodils,

Lauranoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-60883445113705590572009-04-08T19:26:00.003-04:002009-04-08T19:39:47.277-04:00

Last Saturday was our six-month wedding anniversary. Those of you who have been married for years and years are rolling your eyes right now, but half a year seems like a very long time when you are newly married (in a wonderful, blessed, joyous way!). :-)For a retrospective look at our wedding, here's a sequence of photos that's one of my favorites:

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-36366635802771857492009-03-30T13:39:00.004-04:002009-03-30T13:47:50.783-04:00

two ripe avocadostwo roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped1/4 large purple onion, chopped1/2 green pepper, choppedhandful of fresh cilantro leaves, choppedsalt, cayenne pepper, and lime juice to tasteCut up the avocados and scoop out the innards into a medium bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork. Add the chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and cilantro and mix with the avocado mash until evenly coated

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-3018179223127650642009-03-19T13:19:00.003-04:002009-03-19T13:28:28.271-04:00

Last weekend, I accompanied my husband (the accompanist) on a four-day choir tour around the Chicago area. We rode along in the bus full of the college choir members and had some fun with the students! The choir performed at five churches and one school, so the days were packed.One unexpected perk was our first night's hotel stay at the beautiful and historic Hotel Baker in St. Charles, IL.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-3812571718117877122009-03-10T14:34:00.004-04:002009-03-10T15:36:53.549-04:00

Douglas has been requesting a handmade item from me, so for his birthday I made him a summer shirt. There's not a whole lot of exciting vintage patterns for men, but this one was fun and easy to make (Simplicity 2081, from Lanetz Living). I picked it out because of its similarity to the casual warm-weather shirts worn by Sean Connery in the 1965 film Thunderball. Douglas and I both like

Lauranoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-60817291597031725042009-03-04T16:17:00.002-05:002009-03-04T16:21:43.264-05:00

Sorry for the delay in getting photos of the opera costumes -- I'm waiting on the director to send some snaps of the performance my way! I did collar one of the actresses myself after the opera, so in the meantime, please visit my sewing gallery to see Cherubino's military uniform.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-63160242805598904982009-02-24T12:20:00.001-05:002009-02-24T12:20:13.474-05:00

My friend Keturah sent me some 5" sample squares of Moda's fabric line Harvest Home. This is just the impetus I need to try my hand at quilting. The squares are patched together into a doll-sized top, but I'm waiting to get a few more supplies before I start the quilting process. Oh, and I will be machine quilting -- I figured if I tried hand quilting, I would never finish any projects!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-43735096294119247172009-02-22T09:00:00.001-05:002009-02-22T17:21:09.447-05:00

Another very quick sewing project: a tea cozy for my brown betty teapot. This was made with a remnant of quilted fabric from a sewing circle at church. The grosgrain ribbon from my stash was added on a whim!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-75531950461235568132009-02-20T14:21:00.005-05:002009-02-22T17:05:30.276-05:00

Small sewing project of late: a flannel baby jacket for the daughter of a friend of mine. Both parents are young and artistic so I thought they might like a funkier print than your usual pastel pink.EDIT: I forgot to mention that the pattern is Simplicity 2900.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-18214618559255005362009-02-10T09:00:00.001-05:002009-02-11T13:24:17.200-05:00

My husband gave me these canisters for Christmas. Let me now sing their praises... Aside from being attractive, they are sturdy stoneware that will last a very long time, unlike the cheap canisters I've seen in stores (when I was able to find any at all). They are large enough to hold plenty of flour or sugar -- and that's another thing I love, there's a canister for brown sugar! Usually a

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-84309519158723150542009-02-07T13:36:00.004-05:002009-02-07T13:40:04.256-05:00

Douglas and I did a rather old-fashioned thing by registering for china before our wedding. Since each place setting comes with a teacup and saucer, I'm now blessed to have a beautiful tea service as well as elegant plates! It's a luxury to be able to savor a hot cup of tea (in this case, the perpetual favorite English Breakfast) on a cold winter's day.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-47911370865241465122009-02-01T17:42:00.002-05:002009-02-01T17:47:56.579-05:00

The month of January has been a busy one, including trips to Florida and Pennsylvania, as well as my costume sewing, plus the regular tasks of housework. Now my costumes are done, the travelling is over for now, and it's nice to feel like I have some more leisurely days ahead! My husband took this photo of tulips in morning light at my grandparents' condo in Florida. Hopefully soon we will see

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-55082501719927678812009-01-04T17:19:00.003-05:002009-01-04T17:30:53.255-05:00

I finally got some pictures of a dress I made last month for Christmas (taken in our bleak and uninspiring backyard, but we're low on breathtaking backdrops right now). ;-) I used the Sense & Sensibility Swing Dress E-Pattern, making it up with a cranberry wool crepe that was in my stash. My first experience with an E-pattern was pleasant -- instant gratification! Cheaper price! Unfortunately

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-77025050816658744842008-12-20T12:06:00.003-05:002008-12-20T12:08:05.757-05:00

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-11437564345800818322008-12-17T15:06:00.003-05:002008-12-17T15:10:13.118-05:00

Yesterday afternoon was time well spent, as I frosted gingerbread boys and girls in preparation for our Christmas guests!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-40429722729760249862008-12-06T11:13:00.003-05:002008-12-06T11:29:35.353-05:00

This has been one of my favorite dishes to fix since I was married. It really hits the spot when it's cold outside! The amounts are extremely flexible so feel free to experiment a little.1 tbsp. olive oil2 onions, finely chopped2 garlic cloves, mincedaround 1.5 lbs. ground beef2 carrots, finely chopped1 tbsp. all-purpose flour1 c. beef or chicken stock1/2 c. red winesalt and pepperaround 5-7

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-28590338655455855382008-12-02T15:48:00.003-05:002008-12-02T16:01:05.859-05:00

[Mr. Pickwick and his friends are celebrating Christmas Eve with the Wardle family...]"From the centre of the ceiling of this kitchen, old Wardle had just suspended, with his own hands, a huge branch of mistletoe, and this same branch of mistletoe instantaneously gave rise to a scene of general and delightful struggling and confusion; in the midst of which, Mr. Pickwick, with a gallantry that

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-36188565024429534272008-11-12T15:32:00.003-05:002008-11-12T16:08:09.986-05:00

We had our reception at a family friend's Georgian-style home.The lawn was set up with tables and chairs.Guests were served tea,along with sweets (strawberry macaroons, cream puffs, butterscotch scones, and cupcakes with rose petals)......and savories (cucumber sandwiches, chicken salad on mini-croissants, and open-faced roast beef tea sandwiches).Douglas and I sat at a small table on the

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-57472608023865640392008-11-06T12:30:00.004-05:002008-11-06T13:06:30.887-05:00

(Clicking on the photos will take you to our photographers' website.)As I've mentioned before, Douglas' three sisters were my attendants in our wedding. Their gowns were made out of silk damask (bodices) and sueded silk shantung (skirts) which came from Denver Fabrics. The pattern we used was McCall's 3571 for the two older girls and a conglomeration of patterns for the youngest. My mom and I

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-3188444910193959372008-10-27T14:58:00.003-04:002008-10-27T15:44:28.715-04:00

Finally, a bit more about my wedding gown...!Here's the sketch I did of my dress waaaay back in January or February of this year. (Alert minds will catch that I wasn't even engaged at that point, heheheh...) I based it off an Edwardian silhouette because I think the princess lines and trumpet skirt are some of the most elegant, flattering, and beautiful design elements of all time. If you have

Lauranoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-47641943844890405792008-10-21T11:42:00.004-04:002008-10-22T21:39:23.972-04:00

photo taken by my Uncle Gary.Douglas and I chose to use the marriage ceremony from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer for our wedding, which you can read in its entirety here (and no, it has nothing to do with the Jane Austen link -- that's just the first page Google pulls up). :-) We chose to use that particular ceremony because we appreciated that it is so full of Scriptural truth. The "Duties"

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-60790849514839532202008-10-17T11:50:00.003-04:002008-10-17T12:02:11.342-04:00

Mr. and Mrs. Singer on their honeymoon in beautiful Forest Park, Peoria, IL.Click on the image for the full effect!I'm back! Thank you so much for all your prayers. The wedding was wonderful, beautiful, exciting, spectacular, etc. (Of course I am a little biased.) I don't even know where to start in describing it! I think I will have to do separate posts about each detail. In the meantime,

Lauranoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-72622976925467734202008-09-29T09:28:00.001-04:002008-09-29T09:28:19.709-04:00

With five days to go until the wedding, I think I'd better sign off for now. If you would like to pray for us, I have some specific requests:that Douglas and I will have a strong marriage founded on love for our Heavenly Father and love for one another.that our wedding will be God-honoring.that we will have beautiful weather (outdoor reception).that God will give me His peace and help me to

Lauranoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-29107492638132134812008-09-22T18:28:00.003-04:002008-09-22T18:49:42.136-04:00

Why is a photo of this elegant, beautiful, sleek, gorgeous, shiny '39 Packard gracing my blog? It's our transportation on the wedding day!!! It's owned by a local, semi-retired businessman who, although a complete stranger to us before we sought him out to ask about hiring the car, is willing to drive us around on our wedding day, "for the fun of it!"In other '30s news... I have to confess that

Lauranoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-57824999462466482302008-09-10T16:38:00.004-04:002008-09-10T16:57:47.499-04:00

I am really pleased with the way our wedding invitations turned out. Originally, I was all for getting something pre-designed, but Douglas pressed for an original design and now I'm so glad he did. It was a team effort between us and we are both happy with the results!Douglas drew the representation of my engagement/wedding ring, and I scanned it and cleaned it up in Paint Shop Pro. It makes

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-61059824685701867172008-09-04T09:16:00.003-04:002008-09-04T09:23:08.180-04:00

En route from Brother's Wedding to Cousin's Wedding we find ourselves in the hills/mountains of Tennessee -- a far cry from I-80!A field of cosmos, and beyond, the landscape of North Carolina.

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-25958093553813003502008-08-26T10:12:00.003-04:002008-08-26T10:16:10.422-04:00

My sisters-to-be threw me my first bridal shower on Friday evening -- as you can see, they know me pretty well and decorated the tables accordingly. It was a lovely evening and I so appreciate all their effort!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-20273936872873715052008-08-18T17:51:00.005-04:002008-08-18T17:58:09.839-04:00

I much prefer old-fashioned garden flowers over what's available through the florist, so if I had my druthers I would have a bouquet of these fragrant lovelies on my wedding day. This little blossom came from the garden of a family friend, who says if her bush is still blooming in early October, I may have whatever roses I need for my wedding! I think it's rather a long-shot, but it sure would

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-1894966755357530442008-08-16T23:43:00.003-04:002008-08-17T00:01:33.438-04:00

I must apologize if my posting is sporadic from here on out -- as you can see from my profile, our wedding date is coming up in less than (gulp) seven weeks. I will be away from home for nearly two of those weeks, since my older brother and my older cousin are both getting married this fall, too (a week apart, in different locations halfway across the country, of course). There is a lot to

Lauranoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-37732417053052485982008-08-11T13:47:00.002-04:002008-08-11T14:23:42.348-04:00

My knitting -- never much beyond the beginner category -- has been extremely simple lately, in the form of dishcloths for my hope chest. The pattern is as follows:Cast on four stitches.Knit four.Knit two, yarn over, knit to the end of row. Repeat until there are 44 stitches on your needle.Knit one, knit two together, yarn over, knit two together, knit to the end of row. Repeat until there are

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-59597439364271938052008-08-05T08:31:00.002-04:002008-08-05T08:39:11.646-04:00

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-71979496772648131072008-07-28T18:21:00.005-04:002008-07-28T18:32:44.013-04:00

This is the fabric I bought at Denver Fabrics when I met Cheri and April a few weeks ago. It was on clearance and the fiber content was unmarked, but I suspected it to be a rayon or silk.Yesterday, my dad and I performed a highly scientific burn test to determine its fiber content (including burning a wad of cat hair from my cat's brush so we could identify what "burned hair" smells like).

Lauranoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-29570127653880494932008-07-26T15:50:00.003-04:002008-07-27T19:02:47.042-04:00

Can any of you guess what this is? I'll give you a hint -- it pertains to vintage menswear.EDIT: It is a collar bar, used to keep the collar together and give a little "oomph" to the tie. Emma wins, as first to describe its function correctly! (I am impressed -- I have been vaguely looking for one for Douglas to wear at our wedding, and the salespeople at Brooks Brothers and Burberry barely

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-80031695556646074642008-07-21T21:45:00.003-04:002008-07-21T21:50:44.236-04:00

"Louisa was slow and still in her movements; it took her a long time to prepare her tea; but when ready it was set forth with as much grace as if she had been a veritable guest to her own self. The little square table stood exactly in the center of the kitchen, and was covered with a starched linen cloth whose border pattern of flowers glistened. Louisa had a damask napkin on her tea-tray, where

Lauranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-41343820691944144412008-07-15T18:36:00.004-04:002008-07-15T18:54:07.578-04:00

The Easter lilies my mom planted in March are blooming again:But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.--I Corinthians 15:20-22

Lauranoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-45644978532601930952008-07-08T21:32:00.005-04:002008-07-09T12:50:43.509-04:00

Take a peek at Cheri's and April's blogs to see what I was up to on Monday! :-D It was wonderful to meet these two lovely ladies, even though our time together seemed too brief. I did make a purchase at Denver Fabrics while we were there; perhaps I can share more about that later. Back home in Nebraska, we're in the midst of blackberry season. We have a thicket of blackberries by the side of

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-6058117292655788602008-07-05T13:13:00.002-04:002008-07-05T13:16:39.399-04:00

The munstead lavender plants in our herb garden are flourishing this year. They smell absolutely wonderful!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-63946174843695857722008-06-30T23:37:00.002-04:002008-06-30T23:42:30.705-04:00

I just won this cute pattern on eBay! It'll need to be sized up but I'm looking forward to sewing it (though whether I'll be able to sneak it in before all the wedding sewing is done, I can't say). :-)

Lauranoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-27088640814667443762008-06-28T00:10:00.003-04:002008-06-28T00:18:21.764-04:00

I ran across an interesting article today -- Maudlin or Magdalen?, which discusses the pronunciation of the word "Magdalen" in Oxford, where it isn't always clear which way you're supposed to say it! I'm always interested to learn more about British pronunciations (especially when they make no sense :-P) and this cleared up a point of confusion for me. Enjoy!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-38063883910303393792008-06-23T00:00:00.003-04:002008-06-23T00:08:27.641-04:00

My friend Susan gave me a beautiful wedding ring shawl as an engagement/birthday gift, so called because it is fine enough to pass through a wedding ring. It is handspun and handknit with 1 ply silk and 1 ply OPTIM (had to Google that, but find it is specially treated wool). Definitely an heirloom to be passed down!

Lauranoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-13350866162624508982008-06-21T10:41:00.003-04:002008-06-21T10:47:31.936-04:00

Same recipe as last year's cake -- when I find a Good Thing, I tend to latch onto it. We are considering using this recipe for our wedding cake, as well.(This photo was before the 25 candles were added -- gives you an idea of what the wedding cake might look like!)

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-69569360647596475212008-06-18T15:50:00.003-04:002008-06-18T16:07:00.206-04:00

Got the fabric for the bridesmaids' skirts! This lovely sueded silk shantung also comes from Denver Fabrics, but I did not purchase it during my visit to the store because I didn't think there was enough fabric left on the bolt (just shy of seven yards). After looking around at other options and swatches I kept coming longingly back to this shantung! Finally my mom suggested a way to get three

Lauranoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-58967127952595028902008-06-16T16:19:00.003-04:002008-06-16T16:28:39.220-04:00

...They came to the wagon, waiting for them in front of Fuller's hardware store. Something bulky stood in the wagon box, covered with a horse blanket. Laura wondered what it was, but she had no time to look, for Pa untied the horses quickly and they all started home."What have you got in back, Charles?" Ma asked. "I can't show you now, Caroline. Wait until we get home," Pa answered.At home he

Lauranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38430713.post-23131519369924679732008-06-11T16:41:00.006-04:002008-06-12T18:27:34.002-04:00

Sisters Shannon at A Maiden's Musings and Tiffany at A High Calling tagged me for this literary-themed meme, so how could I resist? :-)Who is your all-time favorite author and why?It's tough to pick just one! I'm going to latch onto the adjective "all-time" and pick Agatha Christie, since she's been on my list of favorite authors for 13 years! I read my first Christie mystery, Murder for

Lauranoreply@blogger.com6