Cookies and Milk Cake

I was thinking about food (which frankly isn't a new thing for me) and when I was, I came across this cake on Pinterest. And really, if you'ven been on Pinterest for at least 20 seconds, it's a terrible thing for your waist line.

Which I thought was ironcal, because when Amy planned my baby shower, it was a Milk and Cookies theme, and Posh Pastry made THIS amazing cake for me. This cake was just as delicious as it looks!

Pinterest Work Out

We found this great ab workout here.

Need a flat belly? Look no further than Pinterest! I have a whole section of my Pinterest dedicated to work outs!



You can get some amazing tips for a flat belly, tight glutes and just all around quick and easy work outs!

Pinterest Wedding Decor

Are you looking for decor ideas for your wedding and you aren't sure if you want something outside, inside, on the beach, in a church.



I have a friend that is currently obsessed with sheer draping and chandeliers.

This is a seriously, fabulous find! I love the light, the tone on tone, the romance, the rose petals, it just screams, GET MARRIED UNDER ME!



Am I right?



What is your current obsession?

Book Review: ‘The Coming Revolution’

No, it’s not the American Civil War. It’s not even the Whiskey Rebellion. According to Richard G. Lee, America’s Second Revolution is happening now. Or at least was happening back when the 2010 election results held promise for many political conservatives and the Tea Party movement was at the height of its popularity.

Many books on current events are outdated by the time they go into print. Lee’s The Coming Revolution is one of them. What might have been a dozen short blog posts has been stretched into 200 pages of some of the most unoriginal thoughts ever written. Lee is a product of the Cold War, evident by his anti-communist paranoia. He’d have kids today believe that the “Marxism” (he means Stalinist communism) and the “Soviet Union” (no, I’m not kidding) are the greatest threats to America’s future. And he wants to fight them by praising America’s better days.

The Coming Revolution: Signs from America’s Past That Signal Out Nation’s Future is not the take-action book it claims to be. Lee spends about 80% of the book gushing over America’s grand narrative, covering no more than any of my grade school textbooks. He never misses an opportunity to brag about his role in bringing on the current Second Revolution, yet if anything, recent events proves just what a poor prophet he is.

The question running through my mind is, why was this book even written? (Well, I’m also wondering why I volunteered to review it.) Lee is an avid opponent of violent revolution, something that he even tries to write out of America’s revolutionary history. He connects that response with anarchism, socialism, and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Instead, he promotes a peaceful overthrow of the old order and installation of a new one…by angry people, no less. As a self-proclaimed leader of the Second Revolution, he can only advise his readers to continue to do exactly what they’ve done all their lives: vote, hold leaders accountable, and stay politically engaged – things that haven’t brought significant changes in the long run. If Lee wants to be a leader of his new revolution, he needs to offer new strategies before he’s replaced or loses the war.

A copy of this book was provided by BookSneeze free of charge for review on this blog.

Zakka Style Sew Along!!

OOOOhhh yeah she did! Lindsay and Amy have been diligently putting together a sew along/ blog hop with Rashida’s book Zakka Style and I am too excited to not only being a little hop on this trip, but to give you bit more details about it!

24 projects in the book, 24 fabulous bloggers and you! we will be sewing right through the book from start to finish.

The sew along starts Monday April 2nd with the first project in the book and will continue through Monday September 10th with a new project, with a new project introduced each Monday.

Each blogger will sew a different project and will be sharing their finished project and inspiration with you.... So, you better get your booties in gear and grab a book ( cause you'll need it to join along ) or even in the ebook format! :D

• April 2nd :: Zig Zag Tote with Sew Fantastic


• April 9th :: The House Pouch with During Quiet Time


• April 16th :: Zakka Pincushion with Pink Penguin


• April 23rd :: Sewing Kit with Monkey Do


• April 30th :: Patchwork Pencil Case with VeryKerryBerry


• May 7th :: Itty Bitty Quilt Block Magnets with Little Bluebell

• May 14th :: Raincloud Mug Rug with Quilt Dad


• May 21st :: Zakka Block Quilt with I like Orange


• May 28th :: Stem Messenger Bag with Sew Sweetness


• June 4th :: Zip Organizer with Spotted Stone


• June 11th :: Orchard Path Tweed Pouch with Don’t Call Me Betsy


• June 18th :: Happy Couple Handwarmers with A Cuppa and a Catchup

• June 25th :: Patchwork Potholder with Sew Take a Hike


• July 2nd :: Water Bottle Holder with One Shabby Chick


• July 9th :: Elephant Bookmark with Cut to Pieces


• July 16th :: Patchwork Ribbon with {House} of A la Mode


• July 23rd :: Delightful Linen Bag with Sukie


• July 30th :: Bread Basket with Patchwork Notes

• August 6th :: Sweet Sugar Cookie Sack with BettyCrockerAss


• August 13th :: Little Pocket Pillowcase with Freshly Pieced


• August 2oth :: Sweet Memories Photo Frame with Noodlehead


• August 27th :: Pleated Coin Purse with Shape Moth


• September 3rd :: Happy Garland Message Board with Maureen Cracknell Handmade


• September 10th :: Nesting Boxes with From the Blue Chair

Check out all the deets here!! It really does sound like quite a party!! Give-a-ways, buttons, Flickr Groups, prizes, info galore... you name it!! ;D

x, Heather

Novel Homeschoolers: 'When Sparrows Fall'

*WARNING: PLOT SPOILERS*

I kicked the romance novel reading habit by the time I graduated college and haven’t been interested in them since, save as a mere academic curiosity. But when I noticed homeschool historian Milton Gaither’s review on a recently published Christian romance novel, I thought I’ve give the genre another try. Homeschool mother Meg Moseley, the author of When Sparrows Fall: A Novel, cited influences such as Hillary McFarland, who’s controversial blog and book Quivering Daughters: Hope and Healing for the Daughters of Patriarchy made plenty of waves within the Christian homeschool community. I was curious how Moseley would tackle the oppressive cult problem while coming out in the end strong for Christianity and home education.

When most of us think of homeschooling cults, the effect on daughters comes to mind. When Sparrows Fall: A Novel, instead, is about a mother, someone with whom the author might more closely identify. Burdened with a guilty past, widow Miranda Hanford desperately seeks freedom from the clutches of cult leader Mason Chandler. When an accident places her and her six children under the care of her dead husband’s half-brother Jack, Miranda has to learn how to trust a liberal outsider and take control over her life.

Like the worst of fiction (both “Christian” and “secular”), Moseley’s suffers from an epidemic use of deus ex machine (“god out of the machine”). The heroine’s conflict and its timely resolution are brought about providentially rather than through any deliberate action on her part. The reader is expected to believe that Miranda didn’t try to commit suicide, even though everything points to it. The reader is also expected to believe that the no-nonsense sheriff’s office suddenly and without reason becomes sympathetic and willing to side-step the law to save time. Apparently, even the friendly, neighborhood country lawmen are corrupt.

The plot has other problems too. When Miranda tries to inspire her fellow sheep to break free from the wolf shepherd, it’s as if everyone’s programmed to suddenly see the light. As many women who’ve had real cult experiences have written, there’s often a lot of conflict between members of the congregation as they try to justify the leader’s behavior and reach their own conclusions about the situation. I believe that’s what Moseley was trying to show in her book, but it didn’t come out that way. Instead she trivializes how difficult it actually is for people to get out of the subservient cult mindset, and she preserves family units (e.g., spouses join sides with each other, children join sides with parents), rather than showing the type of alienation many suffer when challenging cult authorities.

The characters collectively are a bit wooden with occasional spouts of personality. Most of the time, they seem to be parroting their lines off a script. Miranda is almost bi-polar, convincingly torn between her old puritanical self and her new rebellious one. Her children’s childish antics are genuine. I’m sure a lot of mothers reading the book will get a good laugh from a number of the scenes. Jack, however, is unbelievable in a really bad way. An objective researcher, he’s able to come to all of the “right” conclusions about Christianity and homeschooling, relying on the Internet to tell him what’s “normal” rather than what he sees firsthand in Miranda’s household. Unrealistic to say the least. And that’s not the last of Jack’s problems.

The male lead is a tenure-track professor with graduate students who’s hounded at work as if he’s a desperate adjunct lecturer. His lady boss, Farnsworth, is so badly stereotyped, I can tell you she’s a white, feminist BabyBoomer who doesn’t show up for office hours with her students. Forget the uncomfortable hint of incest. What woman in her right mind would want a hen-pecked anti-social bachelor who couldn’t even man up and rescue her at the end of the book? It just goes to convince me that Jack is Miranda’s “rebound man.” As soon as her health and household are back in order, she’ll find someone else to kiss. And unless you’re still intrigued by Moseley’s plot, I suggest you find another book read.

Pinterest Recipes

I am sure you have already been pouring over Pinterest and finding tons of great ideas.



I asked my friends what their current Pinterest obessesions are, and trust me, they had a hard time narrowing it down.



But I thought I'd share some of what they are pinning.

Zuchinni Recipes (this from a friend that doesn't even cook) but the pictures are gorgeous!

Thoughts on Al-Qur’ān

Juz' of Qur'an (Egypt, 1438-1453), LACMA (Public Domain) 

While in my early mid-twenties, I attended a speaking event that was hosted by an Islamic mosque and a Christian organization. The Christians who attended each received a copy of the Qur’an (translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali), while the Muslims each were given a copy of the New Testament. Despite everyone insisting that the books were “for reference,” I’m quite sure that both sides viewed this exchange as an opportunity to proselytize the other side. I appreciated the gift as a reference tool, useful for looking up passages quoted in the books I was reading, but I never attempted to read my Qur’an until nearly three years ago. And I finally finished it earlier this week.

The Qur’an is not an easy book to understand, even though each surah reads as if it were concise and complete. I was a little surprised how little content was devoted to religious practices, but perhaps that’s what the hadith is for. I also was surprised at how boring I found the book, since it’s generally the topic of heated conversation. If I were to summarize the book, I would say that it’s most like Revelation, the Apocalypse, a text devoted to eschatology. The Qur’an informs the reader what will occur in what Christians would call the “end times,” when the Resurrection of the dead occurs, and offers instructions on what is necessary to receive final reward and avoid final punishment for deeds done on earth. One thing that stood out to me from the text is the fact the Qur’an seems to self-interpret its “end times” statements as literal. However, there doesn’t seem to be any hint as to when to time the “inevitable event.”

While reading Surat Al-Wāqi`ah (Surah 56), a Meccan or early surah, I immediately made a connection with the “Final Judgment” described in Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus Christ tells of His glorious return, sitting on a heavenly throne and separating the “sheep” from the “goats.” Surah 56 (links A, B, & C) also tells of mankind being divided after the Resurrection. In that case, there are three classes: the Companions of the Right/Right Hand, the Companions of the Left/Left Hand, and the Foremost in Faith. In both texts, those on the right are rewarded while those on the left are punished. In the Qur’an those places of reward and punishment are actually in the right and left positions, while Jesus Christ sends those on the left away to eternal destruction and leads those on the right to Paradise (Matt. 25: 34, 41, & 46).

However, the most glaring contrast is the third position: the Foremost in Faith. The Qur’an has reserved for them the “Gardens of Bliss” that are “Nearest to Allah” and even their own thrones (ayah 11, 12, & 15). Maybe there’s a connection with the promises made to Jesus’ disciples: that twelve thrones upon which they would judge the twelve tribes of Israel awaited those of them who remained faithful (Matt. 19:28). Yes, the text does mention special rewards reserved for those who’ve given up everything to follow Christ (cf. Matt. 19:27-30, Mark 10:28-31, Luke 18:26-30), but the Bible is rather vague on the matter. Jesus continues teaching the disciples with the parable about the hired day laborers who receive the same pay even though they were hired at different times (Matt. 20:1-16). The point of this passage is that we can expect God to give us exactly what He promises us (v. 13), and we’re not to complain when He shows generosity to others (v. 15). The clear implication of this passage is that there will be some who’ve given up less who’ll receive the same reward as those who give up more.

While the Gospel tells us not to expect more, the Qur’an explicitly promises special honors to those who were generous towards the needy and obeyed God (link C)…in other words, people who would be just included among the many other “sheep” (Matt. 25:35-40). This leaves two impressions on my mind: First, Muslims might take comfort in the belief that, even if they cannot make the cut to be in the “foremost” class, they can at least enjoy the benefits of being a part of the “right” (sort of a parasitic nobility, honored but essentially useless from a spiritual perspective). Second and related, Muslims might feel as though they must be guaranteed extra benefits in exchange for their good deeds. In other words, there must be an extra incentive to alter their behavior if they’re going to sacrifice their time and money and even their lives in holy jihad. God, however, expects us to do what is required, because it is right, and not for expected benefit. So, while the Qur’an provides an easy out for those who don’t practice righteousness (the “right”), the Gospel relegates the same people to eternal destruction (the “left”) (Matt. 25:42-45).

Helpful References:
A. The Meanings Of The Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusufali Ali (English translation)
B. Qur’ān (English translation)
C. The Meaning of Quran: In Text with Advance Search by S. Abul A'la Moududi (English translation with commentary)
D. The Hadith Library
E. Internet Sacred Text Archive

Books:
1. The Qur’an Translation by Abdullah Yusufali Ali (English translation)
2. HarperCollins Study Quran (whenever they get around to publishing it)

who knew??

I absolutely loved all of your responses to my question… why sew??... and though I told you how my process works, I guess I should tell you a bit more of why I chose to start… seems reasonable, right??...

Yes, yes… I was truly looking for an escape from all things scary at 24 years old, but I had this little moment in time. Almost an irrelevant minute really, but all encompassing at the same time. Ya know what I mean… “Empowering, but with a scotch of badass involved”… Any who… it went a little like this…

I was in this super fancy pants store in Santa Cruz while on vacation… REALLY out of my league, kinda shiz. Anyways, they had this little out building full of home dec stuff like; napkins, table runners, and quilts… and I was just simply caught like a deer in the headlights. Couldn't move, world stopped spinning for a moment kinda shit, while I just stumbled and realized what was actually in front of me???.... it blew my mind. This was no JC Penny shit. This was art.

So… I say, quietly to myself, “I can make this…” and an elder family member... not only hears me, but says, “Yeah… no honey, you can’t. Do you know how hard THAT is??”… And I blinked. Blinked that pipe dream straight away. Right, yeah... I believed them. Those quilts (hell… even the napkins in that store) were very impressive to say the least. I must have been quite the silly girl to think otherwise, really. And my vacation went on… but, the seed was sewn, I won’t lie. I really... couldn't stop thinking about those quilts.

Well, I can safely tell you I was home for… possibly a week??? And I soon begged a friend of mine to borrow her sewing machine! Because, in my head… I slayed that bastard Autism… his ass was currently doing hard time in the slammer, and re-thinking his hold on my family, so it only seemed obvious I could be a master sewer too! Duh… how could anyone doubt this, even me… right???

LOL



 I can honestly say, I think I broke 5 sewing machines that first year! Pathetic and OOOooohhh… so very true! Many OOoohhh... times i thought the boy toy was going to finally say, "NO! no MORE!", but he just kept giving me an another outlet. I think he knew i needed to master this, claim it... if you will. cause, Lord knows not much those day's were in my hands... thanks only to his wisdom for that! I still laugh at how I threw myself into it though… thinking in my little head… I’ll show you, damn it!!! And I made the ugliest shit that first year too! Seriously… bwahahaha…. I feel so bad for those who had to garage sale that crap later on!!! I don’t even think I learned how to legitimately, "quilt" until I made over… roughly 700 rag quilts! No lie!! That's a whole hell of a LOT of snipping! Hehehehe….

I guess… when all is said and done, I feel good about where I am. It's only been... like, 4 years now!! I don’t need to be any one's hero, but I’m damn well proud that I can count on my, "self taught anal retentive" skills... not to embarrass myself!! :P  Although, i do get the feeling this is always going to be that hobby of mine that pushes you into another realm... constantly, needing to conquer a new skill and trying anyone's patients!  it's a bit sick, really.... that i  look forward to it, yeah??!!  ha!!  what can i say, I lOVE a good self challenge!! Right...???

i feel very excited for all my new adventures with this craft!

x, Heather

Merry Christmas

I cannot believe I never showed you this!



Zachary Ryan was born on November 9th, 2011, and we were so blessed to welcome him to our family!



He was the best Christmas Gift E-vah!

Thank you Footstone Photography for this amazing newborn session - and a big thanks to Command Adhesive Hooks...

Do Not Try This At Home Kids.

Thank you Kristen from Footstone Photography for your patience with Zachary

This is my favorite image from Footstone Photography that day with both G and Z!

Wait until I show you Zachary's Birth Announcement!

Pinterst

I am sure by now you have heard of Pinterest, right?

And if you've heard it's addictive, and have hesitated on heading in that direction, you are right, it is addictive. Very addictive. And if you feel you just don't get it, and don't know how to use it. Lemme tell you how to use Pinterest.



Step 1: Request and Invitation, either from someone that already has an account (look for us on Pinterest)



Step 2: Check out the beautiful and amazing pictures on Pinterest. You can find all sorts of fun ideas for cooking, baking, organizing and working out. If you like something, and your account is active - you can "pin it" which means you are essentially using it like a big Cork Board except you aren't using thumb tacks.



Step 3: Create various different "boards" to "pin" your ideas to, make one for Shoes, one for Travel Ideas, one for Room Decor, one for Organizing, one for Pet Clothes.



Step 4: Follow your friends, look for them by their name, whether it's by their blog, or name, or email, or by Facebook, and see what they are "Pinning" and you can "repin" their stuff to your boards to keep for safe keeping, or comment on other's "pins" or "like" their pins.



Step 5: Have fun!

Review of ‘Bully’: If You Can’t Handle It, Why Do You Expect Kids To?

Bullying on IRFE by Diego Grez (2007, Wikipedia)

I rarely make general film recommendations, but Bully will have to be one. Yesterday, the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Orange County Film Society hosted a screening of what promised to be one of the most important documentary films made this year. Sitting in the historic Regent Lido Theater, one thing kept running through my mind: How can “mandatory reporters” like school administers, teachers, and bus drivers ignore the student-on-student abuse that goes on right under their noses?

The filmmakers of Bully caused a big upset when the MPAA slapped an R rating on their film. But the positive effect is that this film’s content can’t be ignored. Censored language and violence would just perpetuate the myth that bullying is temporary, normal behavior within the public school system, and nothing to get paranoid about. I appreciated the opportunity to see and hear what real children suffer each day. Their parents are frustrated by their children’s continued withdraw from the world and by the school and law-enforcement’s constant refusal to address the situation. Teachers, counselors, and principals make the behavior acceptable with weak punishments for the perpetrators and their own style of bullying victims into accepting false apologies and excuses.

What was extremely troubling was seeing how devalued these children’s lives really were. Day after day, they get punched in the head, pushed into walls, stabbed with pencils, and verbally abused. I’m not talking about “just” calling someone names. These kids say things that would raise the hairs on the back of your neck. When one repeatedly-tormented girl (from my grandfather’s birth county, actually) took matters into her own hands, the local sheriff charged her with numerous counts of kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon. Apparently, no amount of verbal abuse and threats against one’s person justifies self-defense in the eyes of the law. When parents, teachers, and the police don’t make an effort to protect children, then they’re essentially sending the same message as the bullies: “Go hang yourself.”

I going to come out and order you, dear reader, to see Bully. And be prepared to cry. It’s not a perfectly made film, since the hidden and hand-held cameras method guarantees cinematographic and production issues, such as bouncy footage (I’m sure that’s the proper term!). There are a few sound balancing problems, but I thought the editing was good. Unfortunately, the ending was a huge disappointment. Everyone, including the after-movie panel participants, seems to expect kids to collectively rise above and against this social problem. If adults won’t stop abuse within their gangs for fear of retribution, if adults won’t stop the oppression of other people out of fear of the police and state, why should adults expect kids to stand up for each other against an enemy that been proven unbeatable? Bullying continues to remain a problem, not because the child victims and bystanders tolerate it, but because adults do.

Glitter your Champagne Glasses

Let's just face it. Glitter is just the awesomesauce. It's sparkly, pretty, and really just makes us feel fabulous. Like, queen for the day, nothing can go wrong type fabulous.



Now...glitter combined with some DIY goodness. That's what we're talkin' about.

Via Martha Stewart via Something Turqouise

We found this fantastical DIY Glitter Champagne Decor Idea over at Martha Stewart, who originally found it at Something Turqouise..and if something is wonderful enough for Martha to showcase, it MUST be great.

Via Martha Stewart via Something Turqouise

How creative chic!? You can find the instructions right here.

What creations have you seen at weddings recently?

A Look at National Caffeine Awareness Month

Until about six months ago, I wasn’t really aware of the adverse effects caffeine was having on my health. Some family members had experienced side effects over the past few years, but I seemed to be immune. Caffeine in any form didn’t even keep me awake most of the time, and my lifelong love affair with Pepsi Cola was still growing strong.

At some point, however, I began to experience headaches, especially when consuming cola at night. So cutting down my intake started to look like a good idea. My weight fell a bit, in the process, making me rethink attributing the weight gains I’d made in my late twenties solely to a lack of exercise. And I discovered that carbonated soft drinks were taking a toll on my teeth.

With problems like that staring me in the face, I gave in and cut back. Proof that I wasn’t truely addicted might be the fact that I was able to do so quite efficiently. And in honor of National Caffeine Awareness Month (March), here are three tactics that helped:

• Drinking cola shouldn’t be the highlight of my day. Diet is all about one’s mindset. Like a child eating her last meal, I wanted to consume as much as possible, a hold over from the days when my parents restricted my diet. I’ve noticed this is true for others, be it for snacks, desserts, fast food, and even regular healthy stuff. Blame it on the “super-sized” American cultures. I just reprioritized.
• Maximize utility. I really didn’t like other colas, considering them poor Pepsi substitutes. However, I’d naturally order Coke when Pepsi products weren’t available. So my solution was to cut out non-Pepsi colas (e.g., Coke) out of my diet completely, choosing an alternative non-cola drink when at a restaurant with a Coca-Cola contract.
• Switch to fruit juice. I’m not a big fan of fruity flavors, especially when it comes to drinks. (I refuse to touch grape, cherry, and orange sodas!) After a few dead ends, my health-conscious chiropractor baby sister finally found a fruit juice that wasn’t too sugary for me. The organic Honest Kids Super Fruit Punch is about the only thing that doesn’t taste to me like the terrible stuff they’d serve at church potlucks when I was a kid. A.k.a. “red paint.” So now I have a sugary alternative to consume at home, and I’m getting more servings of fruit now too.

And, yes, I wrote this while drinking a can of Pepsi.

Sh!t Brides Say

Excuse the french but really, this is pretty funny stuff. It reminds us to not take ourselves to seriously.



And brides, we are not laughing at you, just along side you.

a winner and a method to my madness!! :P

Okay... ya big winner... I will say, the competition was rich and it was more than a close race... but, i think i spit my coffee out on my laptop on this one!

( and yeah.. it helped a bunch... that i read it, as if i actually had an Irish accent! )

RenegadeQuilter said...

So here is a joke that I hope makes you laugh.

John O'Reilly hoisted his beer and said, "Here's to spending the rest of

me life, between the legs of me wife!"

That won him the top prize at the pub for the best toast of the night!

He went home and told his wife, Mary, "I won the prize for the Best

toast of the night."

She said, "Aye, did ye now. And what was your toast?"

John said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life, sitting in church

beside me wife."

"Oh, that is very nice indeed, John!" Mary said.

The next day, Mary ran into one of John's drinking buddies on the street

corner. The man chuckled leeringly and said, "John won the prize the

other night at the pub with a toast about you, Mary."

She said, "Aye, he told me, and I was a bit surprised myself. You know,

he's only been in there twice in the last four years. Once he fell

asleep, and the other time I had to pull him by the ears to make him

come."

Hope your laughing

renegadequilter at hotmail dot com

Contact me with your info!! :D Congrats!... THAT was good!! :P

SooOoo...  thought i'd write about something that's been on my mind lately..

Why do you sew??? Good question, yeah??... I started sewing to relieve stress and find myself a little… Heather time. Not Mom or Wife time, but for my… greedy, little self kinda time! First… I just really wanted to learn something new, eh… something mine.  That I didn’t want or have to share with anyone. Something that took me away from my everyday life struggles and kept my mind off other things besides the newest and greatest medical advice… call it a coping mechanism to raising a child with Autism, but then… it kinda changed…?? Who knew?? Shocked the hell out of me!  and i'm just too pleased about it too!!  ;D

I’ve had a… few requests asking me to explain my sewing process. And all I could honestly think each time I received one of these emails was, HHhmmm… damn good question, really! LOL  Although, I don’t honestly think I have one. Now, mind you I realize how ridiculous that sounds considering I’ve been blessed with beloved friendships of some of the most amazing, diligent artists in this industry and I also realize that for whatever crazy-ass reason they dig what I do, but it’s true all the same. And yeah… many O’h days… I’m more than convinced they’re going to finally figure out what a poser I truly am! hahaha...

And then… it dawns on me, they must like it when I cuss at them! LOL just kidding (kind of!) :P Honestly though… this is my process. Legitimately… no bullshit.

- I get ready each morning, like I’m going to run into some old  high school friend that I haven’t seen in like 15 years. YOU, really do need to look your best, get’s you in the right mindset! I can’t be me in pajamas… it's just too comfortable for my manic personality.

- After I drop my boys off at school, I drink another cup of coffee (downed THAT first cup... just trying to wake up to fight another day !), surf the web for a minute and regard all my amazing peer's work, and then I turn UP the radio. Loud, not easy on the neighbors loud, but scream sing LOUD! 

(boy toy bought me a bigg’in!)

- I focus on one project and that person who it’ll be for, and close my eyes… letting my music take me away. I feel it… period. The words, the rhythm, the beat… then I sing and dance to it  in the comfort of my mind. Till, I have goose bumps! Truth.

- Then I pull fabrics, cut those bastards up and re-sew them together. One block at a time. Always. Every block has an identity, a perspective on my feelings while I built it. Hump… kinda sappy actually, but real.

Yeah… I'm cool with my crazy. I know this is not the norm… but, I’m really not interested in being the norm. I’m interested in being me… and I have to feel my art, before and during the time that I’m making it. It is my treasured hobby, my escape… I would never tarnish it by being half-ass toward it's construction, but if it doesn’t hold any emotions… then it’s just empty to me.  period.

Meh… there it is kids…ha!  why do you sew?? I’d love to know!! You can tell a sista!! :P

X, Heather

Balloons are Brilliant!

It's a fact of life: balloons and parties just fit together. Whe you see a balloon on a mailbox...you know there is a fiesta occuring. When there is a single chair with balloons tied to it's back, you know that seat is reserved for the birthday girl or boy.


So why not get the party started at your wedding by incorporating some Balloon Fun?!


Need some inspiration? We found some in the following ideas:

via One Fab Day

Via Veil Tales

via Glamour

Via Simply Perfect Weddings via Martha Stewart

 Don't these balloon ideas make your heart burst?! Are you just blown away by how fun they are?

Thoughts on Ruth

The Cotton Pickers (Winslow Homer, 1876), LACMA (Public Domain) 

Previously, I discussed what I consider to be one of the most important but greatly ignored themes in Ruth in “Sometimes a Woman's Got to Do What a Woman's Got to Do,” which connected the Ruth 3 scene with Hosea 9:1’s statement about prostitute’s wages on the threshing floors. For my reading last year, however, I turned my attention to what might be called the “Tamar Problem.”

As many of you know, as a teen, I was taught the perspective of Tylerite Christian Reconstructionism, a theonomist movement that looked to the Mosaic Law for guidance on how to create a perfect society, God’s millennial kingdom here on earth. The belief is that, rather than following basic ideas such as “Love thy neighbor” from the Bible and applying common sense to real life situations, Christians need to follow the case law down to the jot and tittle. Of course, this view is not immune to debate. Proponents aren’t in agreement on how to divide the Pentateuch into “judicial law,” “moral law,” and “ceremonial law,” nor can they settle on how to appropriately reinterpret ancient codes for today’s cultures, political systems, and economies. Both are key to deciding which specific laws Christians should place themselves under to usher in a believer’s utopia.

Unfortunately for Christians who hold this view, it’s clear that following the law doesn’t guarantee that everything will go smoothly. Case in point: the apocryphal story of Susanna, in which an innocent woman is legally condemned by the testimony of two witnesses. What’s missing from the discussion is the human element. “Doing the right thing” cannot and will not guarantee perfect results, something clearly lost on most advocates of Christian dating, courtship, and betrothal and the wait-and-be-content doctrine. There are too many variables in life for formulaic-driven orthopraxy.

The story of Ruth illustrates this problem. In 1:11-13, Naomi wisely informs her daughters-in-law that it was unrealistic to expect customary levirate marriages (c.f. Deuteronomy 25:5-10) when she’s too old to bare any more sons.*Perhaps she was thinking of Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar patiently waiting out the best years of her life for a third husband to grow up after his older brothers incurred the wrath of God (Genesis 38). Orpah and Ruth had no foreseeable future with Naomi, save relying on the kindness and charity of strangers (Ruth 2). The system would work as stated, when two brothers, men old enough to testify in public, lived in the same household at the same time, but was extremely inefficient when applied on a more general scale.

Now, for spiritual reasons unknown to us, Ruth chose to stay with her mother-in-law, despite the unlikely prospect of ever finding a husband. Perhaps she, like the girl in Winslow Homer’s The Cotton Pickers, looked up from gleaning and asked herself, “Is there anything more to life than this?” Or maybe she was too intently focused on her immediate survival. Yet Naomi remained dissatisfied with the arrangement, instead preferring to scheme Ruth a way out of the endless drudgery of field work (Ruth 3:1), and Ruth complied by chasing a man who technically wasn’t supposed to be her target. Rather than the happy ending coming “because of” a flawless “kinsman redeemer” system, it might make more sense to say that, through God’s grace towards a pagan woman, everything worked out in the end “in spite of” it.

*Oddly enough, to do this, Naomi probably would’ve had to marry Boaz or the other relative.

spoiled rotten!

yesterday i received the MOST bitchin pillow ever from my dear friend Penny!! the Pillow Talk Swap, never disappoints!! having absolutely no crochet skills, she treated me to gift that i really couldn't have made myself!! i am in lOVE!!!

and then to top off her badass pillow... she made me fabulous patchwork coasters too! i can't even believe my luck!!...

let's just keep it real... Penny's the shit. period!

but, this did get me thinking after being so spoiled rotten by her, i should spoil one of you guys too!   ;D  I just received Laurie Wisbrun's upcoming line Perfectly Perched by Robert Kaufman and i'd like to share!

I'm giving away an entire FQ set of this new line that should be released late spring/ early summer!! wanna win?? Okay, to enter... make me laugh!! leave a comment that makes me giggle the most and i'll choose YOU!

I'll choose a winner Monday Morning!! Have a fabulous weekend my friends!!

x, Heather

Flower Pot Favors

As a bride and groom, you spend months and months planning for your big day and when it finally comes, you can feel like it's over in a moment.



But what if the memory of your wedding could keep growing and growing even after it's all over??

These custom seed pack & matching pot wedding favors we found on Style Me Pretty are such an awesome idea to keep the memory of your special day alive! 

Step 1: Put together the design you want to go on your seed packet. Once that is finished, print it on the seed packet template.

Step 2: Fold the packet up and use double sided tape to seal the edges. Leave the top open to put seeds inside. Once the seeds are inserted seal the top edge so those seeds can’t fall out. 

Step 3: Decorate your pot. 

And you're done (you can find more detailed instructions here)! What do you guys think about this as a wedding favor??

Novel Homeschoolers: ‘Amy HodgePodge: All Mixed Up!’

It’s about time I got around to reviewing this book. Maybe a year or so ago, I stumbled across the Amy HodgePodge children’s book series (2008) while browsing the gift shop at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The cover clearly advertised what book one was about: a black girl and a white girl picking on a mixed girl. Gee, where was stuff like this when I was eight?

Multiethnic and tri-racial, shy Amy Hodges has to adjust as both the new girl in town and as an ex-homeschooler now attending Emerson Charter School. Unlike Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) in Mean Girls (2004), Amy is shunned by her more popular classmates for looking a bit strange. With the help of some cool new friends – other strange-looking outcasts – Amy builds self-confidence.

The outcast’s experience is something of a theme with black author Kim Wayans, who also played the part of a concerned religious mother in the drama Pariah (2011), a story about the “coming out” of a lesbian teen. It’s unclear whether Wayans work at all reflects her personal experiences, reactions to her interracial marriage with white co-author Kevin Knotts.

From a homeschooling perspective, too much about the story was left unsaid. Amy insists on attending school, but it’s never made clear why. Feelings of claustrophobia? Desire to socialize with kids her age? Boredom? We’re never told. And I was puzzled as to why her parents chose to homeschool in the first place. I was purposely sheltered from the cruel racist world, and I’ve met many mixed kids who’ve voiced opinion that they wish they’d been home educated as well. If this was Amy’s parents’ reason, I would’ve expected them to be more sensitive to the bullying and isolation she experienced at school.

From a race perspective, it was nice that Amy presents the readers with details about her family in such a matter-of-fact way. That’s how I remember life being for me: I was normal, the default setting. It was the other kids who were abnormal, until I was informed otherwise, as Amy is by her rude classmates. It’s rather difficult to believe that such a racially-integrated crowd could be so intolerant. Back in the 1980s, I was snubbed by more racially-homogenous groups of black, white, and Hispanic kids. Amy of the 21st century is snubbed by a blond singer and her backup, one black girl and one Asian girl. Yes, there are people of every race who decry miscegenation but promote living together as God’s children in harmony, but that’s the kind of attitude that I’ve found more often in adults. Racially-aware children tend to gravitate towards those who are more like themselves, and that means mixed kids often have an advantage over the pure bred “Other.”

Despite being teased, Amy cherishes her heritage. This is what I appreciated most about All Mixed Up!: the heroine doesn’t feel as though she has to choose from among a long list of possible identities. She’s comfortable being Japanese, Korean, African American, and white…all at the same time. Unfortunately, in the actual narrative, her English Hodges-ness takes a back seat. The authors never mention her paternal grandfather or white ethnic heritage, which is likely also mixed. However, I’ll postpone judgment on that point since I haven’t read the rest of the series.

Shoe Decals

Shoes, shoes, shoes, and shoes....these are a few of a girl's favorite things! And why not, shoes are absolutely fabulous, are they not? When I saw these new shoe decals on Etsy, I couldn't believe wedding shoes could get any better, but they do!



These decals are so adorable (and make for a great close-up photo of the shoes!).

How awesome of an idea are these??

hot damn!

i just lOVE it when i finish up my Pillow Talk Swap pillow!! This is my Round 7 pillow to be mailed off to my partner tomorrow!! and when i wrapped up putting this puppy together... eh.. i pulled a total dork and faux high-fived myself!!! bwahahaha... then i realized that i wasn't going to be able to keep it!! (shiz!) LOL OOOhhh... well, hopefully my partner will love it as much as me!! I'm super excited to receive mine, and trust me... this round had NO shortage of Aaahhh... inspiring submissions!! squeeeeeel!!!

if you're interested in making one of these pillows, you can grab a paper piecing kit here!!

x, Heather

Tissue Paper Lanterns

Being a wedding planner in Florida, I am big on tents at outdoor weddings (seeing as our Florida weather is always so uncooperative). I always love finding ways to add a pop of color or glamorous decorations to make sure the wedding is festive both inside and out.



These paper lanterns from Martha Stewart are so simple and would add such pop to any reception hall or reception tent!

Not only are they so perfect to add to your wedding day decor, they are SO simple to make and you can make them in any color to fit your event! AND it would be a great project to do with friends, over your favorite cocktails and chocolate!

You'll need: 1) Tape

                    2) Paper Lanterns

                    3) Paper Circles (can be found at HyGloss Products)

Step 1: Starting at the bottom of the lantern, use small squares of tape to begin attaching tissue-paper disks around the hole, overlapping them.

Step 2: Working toward the top, continue sticking and overlapping disks to cover the lantern.

And you're done! How great is this project?!?