sometimes you've just gotta change it up a bit

Looking through Pottery Barn catalogs and Ballard Design I always stop on those hallway organizing units. I want one but I actually already have one. I know, it makes no sense.
My back hall had a built in cabinet that was painted white.
I even designed it, but that was 18 years ago.

Behind those large doors were plenty of hooks holding jackets and bags.  There were stacks of beach towels and what turned out to be 7 pairs of Kirby's old shoes!  How did that happen? How did Kirby move to Colorado and leave 7 pairs of shoes?

Behind the top doors were light bulbs, batteries and flashlights, even coloring books and crayons. I suppose if I just cleaned it out and organized it a bit it would have been fine. But, it just wasn't the look I wanted anymore.

So I came up with a plan and hired a friend who has amazing woodworking skills.

First he took out the old cabinet.

Then he tried to 'slip' the new built-in in its place.

That took some unexpected extra work but Ray was a trooper and pulled it off with a smile!

This house isn't exactly 'square'!

it's in!

and now it's black

just like all the pieces in the catalogs!

And now it has baskets and hooks and jackets and light bulbs. It has coloring books and crayons and batteries and towels.  Now it even has mittens and hats just in case it ever snows!

 The beach towels look so much better rolled up

thanks for the idea Holli!

And if you've got little ones, we're ready for you with crayons and coloring books and other trips down memory lane.

Thanks Ray for your craftsmanship.

Thanks Jeff for painting and being on board with the change.

not just for girls

If you're a boy and you want to impress your girlfriend, I've got the perfect project for you!

My oldest son who is 29 and lives in SC came to visit for a weekend in July.  Much to my disbelief, he wanted to make a headband for his girlfriend who is working in Colorado.

He did all the Google research on the type and size and I had him 'shop' in my huge fabric supply right here in my studio.

We used this Between The Lines blog post as our guide.

While reading the directions, Daniel saw that the headband shown was made for a child so we adjusted our measurements, but not by much.

We cut the large piece (the main part of the headband) 

5 inches x 17 inches

We cut the smaller piece (the part that covers the elastic)

6cm x 20cm

and the piece of wide elastic 

12cm long

YES

that is correct

we used inches AND centimeters

the blog is French!

And as long as we were going to make one girl happy, why not two?

so we made one for Holli as well.

I gave direction

Daniel did the sewing and pressing

When the project was complete he headed straight to the big screen to catch what he had missed in the Womens World Cup

no worries here that he's changing his hobbies from sports to sewing

but it sure was fun for a day!

 Holli's is pink and gray

Katie's is green and blue

 Daniel pulling the elastic through its sleeve

It took me awhile to figure out the directions for this part because I had a hard time telling the difference between the right and wrong side of the fabric in the original blog photos. 

I think this photo will help me with future headbands

 the man at the machine!

 the finished product

I folded the widest part in a little for this look

and sent a surprise photo/text message to Holli

maybe I'll get photos of the girls one day...

Blog update
Daniel, Katie and the headband!

Let the Feast Begin!

"Let the feast begin!", said Dumbledore.  The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink.

-Book Three

One of the most joyous and wonderful aspects of life at Hogwarts is the magical meals.  How fitting that I should finish reading my June book today The Gospel According to Harry Potter by Connie Neal, just as I am about to pack for a week of Young Life camp at SharpTop Cove in North Georgia.

The meals will seem magical there too.

We will sit down in a great Dining Hall and high school kids from all over the country serving as Work Crew, will suddenly appear with the most delicious food for us to eat.

It will be magical like that three times a day for seven days.

We will watch as hundreds of high school kids arrive by the bus load for "the best week of their lives"

They will climb walls, slide down giant water slides, "blob" someone in the lake, go on a hike, play in a volleyball tournament, challenge themselves on the ropes course and hear the Gospel.  Not the Gospel according to Harry Potter, but the Gospel according to the Bible.

As for my choice in reading The Gospel According to Harry Potter this month...

I challenge fellow Christians who are critics of the Harry Potter books to really take a look at them.  As with most critics, their opinion is formed on hearsay and ignorance.  Most of the critics have not even taken the time to read the story.  Interestingly there is a strong parallel with critics of the Gospel in the Bible as well.  

Many people have rejected or neglected the Gospel without even reading it or seeking out the truth.

I'm so glad that I was open to both!  Just like Harry we live in a time when the battle between evil and good is growing.  Our best weapon is to know which side we are on and seek that truth.