Appreciate The Sunset

  My freshman year of college, I was sitting on the bus after a particularly cold day and looking mournfully out the window at the snow covered ground while contemplating my yet unfinished homework. At each stop I would dream of the day when I would have my own car and not have to rely on public transportation. The bus stopped and a young man got on the bus taking the seat in front of me.
It was obvious that he had many struggles in life, including a mental and physical handicap. He chattered merrily with the bus driver for a little while, and then looking out the window exclaimed, “Look at that!.”
I turned to see what he was looking at and caught a glimpse of the most breathtaking sunset. The kind that you can take picture after picture of but never really capture how pretty it really was.
The young man in front of me then said, “I’m sure glad I was alive to see that!” and resumed his conversation with the driver.
It was a humbling moment. How often do I stop and look at the sunset, or the moon, or my home, or my husbands smile, or any number of beautiful gifts that surround me and say, “I’m sure glad I was alive to see that.” I have never looked at sunsets the same way since. Now when I see the sky aglow, bathed in pink and purple I can’t help but think about the many blessings I enjoyed that day. No matter how bad the day was, I’m sure glad I was alive to see the sunset.

Lectures

I recently read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.  It is a powerful book and has given me a lot to think about.  As a consequence, I have begun writing my own lectures.  They are really mostly a collection of memories that mean a lot to me and contain advice that I would share with others if I ever got the opportunity.  It has been a good exercise that I would highly recommend for anyone.   You learn a lot about yourself when you reflect on life’s most powerful lessons and try to record your own personal legacy.  Perhaps I will post a few of my lectures on here. 

Cupcake Candle Holder

I don’t post tutorials very often, but here’s one I did for a project a while back.  Enjoy! 
 
Step 1: Create the base of the cupcake. Just mold the clay into a cylinder shape. It doesn't have to be fancy, because in the end you are going to cover it up with the cupcake wrapper anyway.

Step 2: Now we will be making the cupcake top. First, roll your clay into a long snake shape. Make sure that it gets more slender towards the end and is pointed at the tip.
 
Step 3: Coil the snake around itself.  Make sure you wind loosely, so there is room for the candle to fit into a hole in the top.  Also, be sure to end with the pointed tail up. 

Step 4: Now we're going to make some little rose embellishments. Roll another coil much smaller than the first one, perhaps about as wide as a toothpick. Then flatten the whole piece. Coil the piece around itself. As you go wider, wind loser so that the rose is tighter in the center and loser towards the outside edges.
 
Step 5: Now we are going to make the wrapper for the cupcake. Cut a piece of paper about 1 1/4" by 10". Then fold it every 1/4" accordion style. Glue the end pieces together, forming a ring to fit around the cupcake base.

Step 6: Bake your cupcake. Once it has cooled, I painted a layer of glaze over the frosting top. I also tied a bow around the paper as a finishing touch. Simple but beautiful!
 

Ivory Shirt

 
Why, is that another Ruffles and Stuff creation?  Why yes it is.  Maybe one day I can be as creative a seamstress as Disney is, but until then I will just have to use her tutorials (here).  It wasn’t hard either.  My top went from plain ole’ undershirt to a super cute blouse in the time it takes to watch a chick flick with my husband.  In the first picture, the bottom ruffle is flipped up.  Whoops.  Still you get the idea. 

I really like the ruffle I stitched along the bottom. 

A VERY Late Wedding Gift

I made these for my dear friends wedding (I’m not even going to tell you how long ago), and FINALLY sent them in the mail.  Sorry Lynley!  So at last, I can post these pictures on here.  Aren’t they a cute couple?  I sure love these oval frames.  When I saw them in the store I instantly thought of my friend, and knew what I had to use them for!  

Ruffled Skirt

I loved doing this project so much.  I haven’t taken off this skirt since I made it.  Not even to shower.  Or sleep.  That may be an exaggeration  but I can honestly say that I’m already planning on making another one with different colors/patterns.  And maybe another one after that.  And perhaps just one more after that.  I have my fabric picked out and everything.  I just followed the tutorial over and Ruffles and Stuff (here).  Disney is SO creative and her instructions are easy to follow.  You should make one too! 

Happy Fourth!