Fall is Just Around the Corner

Fall is almost here! There's something about seeing red pears at the local farm stand and waking up to mist on the fields that says "FALL". I agree with fellow bloggers that even though I love summer, I always enjoy fall especially September and October. If any of you love to see fall leaves in color take a drive over the Mackenzie Pass from I5 to Sisters OR. in the late fall and you will be in awe of the saturation of colors...have someone else drive cause you won't be looking at the road!

I found my granny shoes!

The other day I was remembering back about 15 years to a pair of shoes I had bought and worn for church. They reminded me of some of the vintage shoes I've seen on line and I thought "why did I get rid of them?" Although at the time I owned them they were not something your average young lady would wear! Then on Monday I was digging around in the dress up box that I keep for entertaining kids who visit and THERE were my granny shoes! Lookin' just as vintage as I remembered and suitably aged:) So guess what? They're back in my closet..hows that for thrift shopping and finding a bargain! Also in the bin I found a hat I had bought for a 4oth birthday party...I put it on and asked my boys "Didn't they wish women still wore hats like in the past?" and you should've seen the look on their faces!! I guess I won't cause any embarrassment to my family and wear THIS to church..but I just might wear my granny shoes!

The Cabin Life

I love to imagine what it would be like to live in a very small cabin...is that a symbol of wanting to simplify my life? It seems like I have so much stuff! I was telling my girls that I clean out my clothes closet and get rid of a bunch of stuff and then a few weeks later the thing is full again, the clothes seem to creep into the closet when I'm not looking!! Of course the cure is simple, stop buying more clothes! Thats why small places have so much appeal...there aren't any closets!! No wonder my Mom tells of having 3 dresses, one for Sunday, one for School and one for home. That was all they had room for. Only problem is, if I moved into a small cabin my husband would get so claustrophobic he'd run screaming into the woods and never come back! Oh wait, that'd give me more room in the cabin for some more stuff:)

Sweet card

My daughter and grand daughter just brought this darling card in the house for me with some gift certificates to my favorite places. Its a thank you for all the babysitting I've been doing:)

I just think this card is so darn cute I had to share it!

HELP for a new blogger

All right!!! I'm getting to mad at this blog...I get my whole thing laid out with pictures and all my blogging and then when I publish it the whole thing gets screwed up and doesn't look right.Like the words get seperated and the pictures out of line. Can someone tell me what to do?

Scrapbook in a Box

My friend Viv and I taught a
class at the ALC Youth camp
today. It was a class in which
the 7 girls got to put together
a personalized scrapbook and
then a matching keepsake
box to put it in. The one below
is the one I made to show them.



It always amazes me to watch
a group of kids put their own
personality into a project, so
that by the end of the class
you have 7 completely unique
projects for them to take home.

What an awesome experience for the

ALC youth to have a weekend of so

much fun, fellowship and godly teaching!

It could be life changing for some of them

as they make new friends, spend time

with older youth as their counsellors

and experience God in a new way.

I'm so privileged to have been able

to be a craft teacher for all 3 years:)

Also its fun to see all the talent

among us adults as we put on the

workshops....

Wouldn't it be great if we could

box up all our special memories

into a keepsake box and then

someday in Heaven open them up?

Treasure Hunting

I like the idea of Treasure hunting...

Mostly because it means that you

don't actually have to buy anything!

And in this economy thats a good

thing...so I just like to browse in

second hand stores, junk stores,

antique stores and Ross and Tuesday

Morning:) Most of the time I feel very

relaxed and peaceful...unless I have a specific thing to look for...but

when you treasure hunt you really shouldn't have a pre-conceived

idea of what you might find. I just love when the prop./owners have

put together pleasing vignettes so you can picture what it might look

like in your own home or closet. Today I didn't find anything I had to

have but it was still a good way to spend a cloudy August morning!

Peachy Keen Pie

It's peach season and at our house it means that Mom has to make her "famous" fresh peach pie! If you've seen the movie "Waitress" you'll remember that the pie making lady named her pies after whatever meaning the pie had. So I'll call this one "Bake Your Way Into Your Sons' Hearts Pie"! All my 3 sons and hubby rave about it and fight over the last piece...

Crust

1 1/2 c. flour

1 T. sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 c. oil

2 T. milk

Mix together and pat into pie pan. Bake 10 mins at 450.

Cool completely.

Filling

6 cups sliced fresh peaches

1 c. sugar

3 T. cornstarch

1/2 c. water

Mash up 1 cup of peaches, mix with last 3 ingredients in a glass bowl.

Microwave on high for 2 minute intervals, stirring thouroughly after each

until bubbly and thickened. Cool to room temp.

Place rest of peaches in pie shell, pour topping over. Cool and serve with

Cool Whip or icecream or for a real treat with sweetened whip cream!

Be sure to eat within 24 hours or making or the crust gets soggy:)

I guess I should make this disclaimer...this recipe is actually one from

an old Betty Crocker cookbook and my Mom used to make this every

summer:) It can also be made with strawberries!!! Equally yummy...

Peace like a River

One summer day I spent getting some rest and relaxation by the river. Give me a river rushing by and I can let all my worries and cares float away with the water. I think it must be that "peace like a river" that God talks about. A river doesn't try to change its pathway or go backwards or try to be a waterfall if its a stream. It just flows...thats how we are supposed to be...just live and let God direct our path. I brought along my water colors, a delish picnic, my camera, books, Bible and journal. There I stayed, lounging about on my pillows and blanket, gazing up into the trees and listening to the water rush by. When I felt like getting up and painting or taking photos I did, and the food tasted like ambrosia when eaten slowly and savored with the atmosphere. I tried to make it a day of true beauty, from the picnic basket I used to the wild flowers I picked to decorate my table. Sometimes I think in our modern fast paced world we just don't take enough time for beauty and rest. I'm going to make this an annual event!

Plain Fancy

Sometimes a girl just has to let loose and pretend!
I was in Central OR last month and found this
abandoned house out in a field. It was kind of
strange standing in the yard and realizing that a
long time ago someone lived and farmed here. So
I decided to get into the feeling of the place and
be a "cowgirl" of sorts! Lots of people are surprised
to find out that I have always loved western things,
cowboys, horses, fences, old barns etc. I guess this
day I just lived for a moment in that world.

vintage fashion, retro dreams

Vintage fashion has become a new interest for me. Probably it always has been, but I really started studying up on it this past few years. I think what I love about the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s is that there was no doubt that you were a woman by what you wore. The sillouettes were soft and accented the waist and there was no trying to show off anything inappropriate. If that makes me old fashioned oh well! Anyway in one of the books I read on 50s fashion I saw a dress that had the top of patterned fabric and the A-line skirt from plain. Then when I browsed through Anthropologie (Favorite store in the whole world, but too expensive!) I got the idea to do a contrast belt. So heres my retro creation, with a modern twist. I know when I wear it I will feel like a true lady and I love that feeling.

A Place For My Literary Tomes

I have been a regular library user since I was 5. My parents were strong supporters of reading and brought us to the library every week esp in the summer. My Dad built me and my sister a reading platform high up in a fir tree and I would sit up there for hours reading and dreaming. So I am so excited about our new library in Battle Ground and stop in there every week. Where else can you get so much for so little cost? I have been using a servicable but UGLY canvas book bag for several years.

One day my daughter said "Mom why don't you make yourself a really cute library bag since you've started sewing again"...in other words "could you get rid of this ugly bag thats always hanging around!" And I said "Yah! I even have a bag pattern " So I dug in my bin of fabric and this is what came to be...now I'm stylish and literary!

That reminds me to thank my daughter for challenging me and believing I can do whatever I set my mind to! I'll do that today.

The Story of the Typewriter Case

Once upon a time, when I was 7, my family was going on a car trip to New Hampshire. As we got ready to go suddenly I realized that everyone in the family had a suitcase except me! I was crushed, this went to prove that NOBODY liked me. However my wonderful Mom dug around in the upstairs junk closet and found a case to our old non-manual typewriter. (Does anybody these days even know what a typewriter is?! Anyway that was my suitcase for the 6000 mile trip and I was so proud to have my very own :) So you can imagine my delight wen MANY years later I found an old typewriter in ints case for $5. I bought it, put the typewriter on my bookcase and started embellishing the box. Looks like embellished memories!!!

vintage bag

VINTAGE BAG/BOX

I found this little bag with a clear glass front at my favorite junk store, brought it home and embellished it. I covered the inside with some scrapbook paper, added ribbons, flowers, tags and a key. I think what I liked about it to start with was the vintage images of young women in 50s dress on the front and back. It spoke to me of a simpler time and a more feminine one which so appeals to me.

After I got done with it I had the same dilemma I always have...what do I DO with it? So there it sits in my craft room waiting to be told its future!

Sewing up a pretty storm

I'm back sewing clothing after a hiatus of several years. All it took was to have a beautiful little girl to sew for! I have made several outfits with lots of ruffles and have gotten a really positive response, not just from Mommy but from all her friends. Even a couple of men have commented on the black and white one. Now I'm going to start on a vintage looking velvet dress with coat and hat for our family pics in the fall! I get so excited thinking about it, that I can't fall asleep at night:)

Out in the Fields with God

"Out in the Fields with God"

The little cares that fretted me,
I lost them yesterday,
Among the fields above the Sea,
Among the winds at play,
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees,
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what might pass
I cast them all away
Among the clover--scented grass
Among the new-mown hay,
Among the rustling of the corn
Where drowsy poppies nod,
Where ill thoughts die and good are born-
Out in the fields with God!

Author?

This poem was given to me by a friend in my Bible study group and every time I read it, I think THIS is me! Enjoy

Who am I?

Who am I? I am Karen, 46 years old, Wife to Kirk, Mom to 5 and Grandma to one little princess. I live in Battleground WA right in the center of grassy fields stretching out acres in all directions. I love reading, sewing, scrapbooking, leading Bible Study and living next door to my grand- daughter. I have Celiac Disease, which means I am always on the look out for good gluten free recipes. I am slowly learning to be tech savvy:) But most of all I am a follower of Jesus Christ who is my All in All. Thats Me!!