Book Giveaway!

I am very excited about this giveaway. It's only the second one I've ever done and this time I really like the prize. Funny things happen when you write things on the internet. Some of you know of my surprise pillow story. Well last week someone from Turner Publishing contacted me trying to get the word out about this wonderful book, History Photos of Memphis. She told me they would send me a complimentary copy if I wrote a post about it. Crazy right?! A gift for writing a post...who would have thought.

The funny thing is I already own the book! It's sitting right on my coffee table. My friend Kim was actually looking through it when visiting a couple nights ago, commenting on how cool it was. Someone gave it to us as a wedding gift and it truly was one of the most thoughtful, unique gifts we received. So I told the lady from Turner I thought it would be much more fun, seeing as I already had the book, if they would host a giveaway on my blog.

I do have an ulterior motive. I'm thinking most of the people who read my blog are in the Memphis area. If you stop by this blog in the next 2 weeks I think it would be really neat to leave a comment about your favorite thing about Memphis or the best kept secret in Memphis...like my flowers in the post below. If you don't live in Memphis that's ok too, maybe you've visited or would like to visit. Tell us what you love about it....Elvis? BBQ? All encouragement welcome. Our little city gets a bad wrap, but there are tons of great things about it. Let's use this post to give Memphis a little pep rally. I will take all the comments and put them in the random number generator and there we will have our book winner. If you're shy about the commenting thing feel free to email me. You can leave an anonymous comment as well, but make sure to check back and see if your comments was selected. I'll then compile all your comments and write a post about all of the wonderful things to do, find, and see in Memphis. And we and anyone else who reads this blog will be like WOW what a cool city! And we'll be like yeah...we know.

I'll start... My favorite thing to do in Memphis is the South Main Trolley Tour, the last Friday of every month. So fun! And it's even better if we eat at the Arcade first.

Get those cool insider tips to me! Deadline is February the 14th! Valentines Day!

Shiver to Smell the Flowers

So pretty...most people think fresh flowers in the spring...in the summer...maybe in the fall?...Prime indoor flower season for me is in the winter. Why winter you ask? Well, my house is cold. Cold like the coolers they keep flowers in in the flower shops when they don't want them to die.

Now I would prefer to not shiver when I get out of the shower...but when I look over to my white roses that have made it two weeks, still lookin' good, I remind myself to enjoy this season of life...exaclty how it is... right now. No matter how cold I am I know one day I'll look back and miss my little 1917 bungalow and all the exciting adventures it has brought into our life.

p.s. If you live in Memphis, I get these roses every other week at the SuperLow grocery store next to the Target on Colonial...a dozen for $6.99! Wow! that's a grande latte!

Coffee Cozy

Two of my very favorite Memphis friends had a birthday last week and I made them these, each according to my take on their personal style.

No, it's not a cool 80's cuff.

It's a re-usable coffee cozy. I made myself one too. I had heard of people making them so I went to Starbucks and got myself a latte...and a free pattern. New sewers- this is easy and fun. Give it a try.

Jack Frost Came South

Baby crepe myrtle I promise the sweltering heat will be
back before you know it....hang in there.

Ohh he's a good one.

Playing Doctor

My husband tells a story, that many of you probably share, about playing doctor with a little girl on the playground...Mama Sabbe finds out...little Sabbe gets in trouble. I somehow missed out on this childhood story {probably because good southern girls do not play doctor with little boys on the playground, eh em} But the funniest scenario occurred in my living room this past Saturday and I must say I felt like I was witnessing a bit of Mr. Sabbe's history...but with a Jerry Springer twist.

Mr. Sabbe is studying to be a doctor. An anesthesiologist to be exact. If you have not gone through the process of becoming a doctor with someone you'll would be very relieved at some of the things they make them do in the hopes of making them into good physicians. Since their first year they have had to take different clinical skills exams. In these exams they see actor- patients who often have a variety of different ailments. They are tested both on their medical knowledge and their bedside manner.

Mr. Sabbe is now in his fourth year and headed to Atlanta to take his USMLE Clinical Skills Exam...it's the big one...the final one. But before he left he felt like he could use some practice, so he called his friend Taylor who is also about to take the exam and together they played doctor...in my living room. As I pretended to sew in the room next door this is what I heard...
Dr. Sabbe: So yes...Mrs. Robinson...your chart says you've been experiencing some unwanted weight gain and you have not had your menstral cycle in over 6 months
Mrs. Robinson (played by Taylor): Yeeeees (his character is also very southern), do you think I might be going through menepause? I'm only 36....

Dr. Sabbe: Hmm...let's see...have you had any vaginal discharge or experienced any breast lactation.

Mrs. Robinson: Hmm...I cannot seem to remember (still in character)let me check my script....

After hearing this sampling how could anyone question Mr. Sabbe's choice of anesthesia or Mrs. Robinson's choice of radiology oncology?! Blaaa...I'm terribly immature and was doing my fake throw up motions from the dining room as I peered in...distracting them both...but come on...the 1984 version had nothing on this.

Tunic

Friday afternoon I made myself this tunic. I've been wanting to give clothes for myself another shot since I learned the wonders of the french seam from my friend's mom.

I like it. It's not very figure flattering and Mr. Sabbe again questioned why a woman would wear a maternity top when she's not pregnant...but I told him it was cool. And I liked it. So he said he liked it too...sweet boy.

My Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny...

...reason to go running even when it's cold outside.

I bought this last week for our annual beach. The trip is not until April, but I thought I could use a little motivation during these cold months.

I've actually had fun trying to stay fit so far in 2009. Bryan and I signed up for the Country Music Half Marathon in my hometown. So we're had fun running around our neighborhood, trying not to freeze our noses off.

I got re-hired (for the third time) to teach a spinning class at the UT gym. The quick story with that is I started teaching there last winter just to stay in the mix of group fitness. I've taught different classes since I was 18 years old and know that class sizes fluctuate with the season. My class is also at 6:30 am. So at a university gym...it's not the most popular. Every time my numbers get low (around the holidays... during the summer months) the director cancels my class. So people were requesting my class again...round three...I'm back...Tuesday mornings 6:30 am!

And my favorite new fitness initiative is the Hip Hop dance class I enrolled in at the New Ballet Ensemble. We have 10 classes this semester and they are teaching us a routine. After my first class I could hardly get out of bed...it is SO fun. Our class includes professional hip hop dancers. They are so fun to watch, but I kind of feel sorry for them because it's like mixing gifted kids in with mentally challenged kids and giving them the same assignment. Thank God for the 55 year old lady in my class, she helps me feel like I fall somewhere in the middle. And how much does she rock for taking a hip hop class?! Look for me next season of So You Think You Can Dance.

So that's the plan to get ready for that itsy bitsy teeny weeny black polka dot bikini. Oh...I'm also in a wedding and have a 10 year high school reunion in the next 6 months...so it's not all about the bathing suit.

Being Mary in a Martha World

Last week I mentioned a little bit about hospitality and I wanted to quickly elaborate/encourage a bit on the topic this morning because it is something that has been on my heart and oddly enough has been topic of a couple bible studies I join in on. My Tuesday night group is reading a book called Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. What a great book title right?! I think we all struggle with this one, and I would assume the blogging world is especially suspect….I read your blogs! You women do everything. You are mothers, wives, crafters, chef’s, and some of you also manage a 40 hour work week on the side. I can’t say I keep my schedule much more simple and I do not even have children…if you notice I said multiple bible studies. I have a real problem with the phrase “thanks, but I think my schedule is a little full right now”….I think the word is overcommitted.

If you know the story, Martha is hustling around getting a meal ready for Jesus and his disciples while they are staying at her house. In the midst of her dishevelment her sister, Mary, is smittenly sitting at Jesus feet soaking up his every word. Martha, in all her efforts to make things perfect, lashes out at Mary by demanding that she join her in the kitchen and Jesus replies that “Mary has chose the better thing” .Thus the title of our book asks us, How do we find time to be still with God in our everyday life while also maintaining the crazy schedules of our everyday life?

So our discussion last night on this topic was wonderful and the women of the group were able to offer some amazing insight on how they have both struggled with and tackled this issue. Then I go home and go to bed, wake up bright and early for my Downline class…and low and behold they are discussing the same topic! They even used our book as a reference. Crazy! So I wanted to share a bit of scripture they gave us that I think is a great one for all of us overcommitters to marinate over.

1 Peter 4:8-11
“Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and power forever and ever. Amen”

I’m encouraged! I had to share. I literally gain wisdom out of every word in this passage. Hope you can too!

Two Things

I want this hat...apparently big bows are the thing.

And how about those gloves!

How big was that bible poor Jill Biden had to hold?!

Welcome to the White House Mr. President

My Winter Bag {bows and pleats}

I grew tired of my fall bag and dropped a few open ink pens on the inside, so this weekend I sat down to finally make the winter bag that's been floating around in my mind since early December. I felt like some of my bags were relying to0 heavily on the design of the fabric as opposed to the actual design of the bag. So I forced myself to step it up a notch this time. My friend Kendi helped me do so by giving me an old bag of hers, which I ripped apart to make a pattern. So this is not entirely original, but I really like the way it turned out. The huge bow was my addition...and my favorite part. I was a big bow wearing child, so it's no surprise that I love big bows on my bags as an adult.

Almost looks like the bow would glow in the dark. That would be cool. I could go to a rave, if I'd ever been or would go to a rave, and dance twirling my bag around. I can hear the techno beats now. Surely that would be the coolest form of glowing dance accessory at the party. You know...I have been to a George Acosta concert. Does that count as a rave? He did a remix of the Dirty Dancing sound track and I remember feeling very cool because I actually knew the words to a song. Now I've got myself waaaay off track.

I like my bags big.

I also like the pleats....which remind me of my high school cheerleading uniform, which was by far my favorite outfit from seventh through twelfth grade. So basically this bag sums up two of my childhood favorites...bows and pleats. It will be a perfect everyday bag until it gets warm again and corduroy is out of season. By then I'll probably have dropped a couple more open pens in it...so in the meantime I'll start thinking of a Spring bag design. Thank God for seasons...and more reasons to sew!

Eames Lounge Chair

Found this cute video today about my favorite design duo and my favorite chair of all time. Watch it, it's sweet. I want Mr. Sabbe and I to design something great one day.

Here we are at a friend's house giving their chair it a test drive. Note my loving/ obsessive embrace. I will have you one day Eames Lounge Chair...you will be mine.

I had a friend ask me the other day if I was really wanting a baby and I told him no, not really, right now. I think for now I'll wish for the chair... probably the more economical choice.

How to Capture Happiness: by Max Wanger

I adore these photographs! Literally...I swoon. You know when you come across something and you think wow that's great...fast forward....one week later you're still thinking that was really great. Well that is how Max Wanger and his gorgeous photography has effected me. Everyone should get to see a snapshot of their life from the lens of his camera. When I'm an old lady, snuggled up in my nursing home bed with my quilt I made myself, I want to close my eyes and see my life from these vantage points....and I will smile.

Miss Congeniality

I was just reading Pink Picket Fence, one of my new favorite finds, and she was explaining a Miss America party that she and her friends throw every year. I have not really watched the pageant in years...excluding the awesome incident with Miss Teen South Carolina trying explain to us how "all US Americans need a map to know about countries...such as....the Iraq"....Oh, let's cross our fingers that something that entertaining happens this year BECAUSE I want to have a party!...inspired by the Pink Pick Fence party. We'll dress up in old bridesmaid dresses, homemade crowns, and a self-titled sash is a must! The pageant is Saturday the 24th of January....mark your calender. We'll drink champagne (or grape juice for all those preggos), eat cookies, and pretend to watch the show...does that sound like fun or what!

Want to come!? You must tell me, if you are crowned Miss America 2009, how would you make the world a more beautiful place?

"...practice hospitality"- Romans 12:13

I've been meaning to share this site the past week and have not had time. For all you good southern women out there...note: I give a shout out to the south only because we claim this little thing called hospitality as a part of our identity. Northerners may have it too...who knows, Westerners may have us all beat. But somewhere along the way someone coined the phrase Southern Hospitality and I must say...I'm glad we got it first. Anyway, a little helpful tool I've found is a site called Ekklesion. You can add a friend or family onto a menu, ie. if they've had a baby, or had surgery and you want to organize some meals to come over to their house. It makes it SO easy. So practice hospitality...it's as easy as sending out an Evite!

Rainy Winter Days

Wake up Mr. Sabbe...it's Saturday and it's raining!

Many fun things on your Honey-Do list can be accomplished on a rainy winter day.

Wake your assistant up too!
I'll make the coffee.

Sabbe Sacks

Disregard the fact that I look like a total dork in this picture. Remember when I blogged about my bag's photo sheet. Well here she is. I was page 6 or so of the company holiday card. See my little tags! They were sent out (in extra fine print) to probably a million people, who probably don't love crafts like we do, and don't have a magnifying glass to read that tiny Sabbe Chic label....but....I was still happy for their print ad debut. I find joy in the small things...literally.

The Shack

I liked it. You've probably heard about it, it's pretty controversial. I didn't think I was going to like it. You should read it for yourself and decide if you like it. It helped me wrap my mind around the Holy Spirit...the most confusing person of God. This girl talks about super Christian's comments. Read her post, she summarizes it pretty well. I don't agree or disagree, but I liked the book. That's all I know.

Mini Closet Makeover

My college roommate can verify, when my closet door is bi-folding, I am the worst at keeping it shut. I don't know why. Give me a swinging door and I'll have no problem. Most people might just make a resolution to keep the doors shut, but I know myself and I won't keep it. So I've been wanting to do a little closet makeover for a while. Among the many home projects Mr. Sabbe and I have been working on this week, this one is my favorite.

Note: this closet is all mine. So don't feel sorry for Mr. Sabbe thinking he is putting his man clothes in a purple closet.

I made the chandelier from white contact paper, just like the birds.

I like it! No new clothes, but it feels like I got a whole new wardrobe. Did you notice my little homage to Miss Zoe, my #1 assistant?

Don't ask me what this little door goes to...I can't even open it. The house was built in 1917. Sometimes I veer on the safe side and leave some things undiscovered.

The chandelier was by far my favorite part. If you don't have the patience to cut the contact paper (which was almost too much for me) you can find lots and lots of other cute stuff for sale at Etsy.

Farewell 2008

You were a good year

I think the Christmas toy will help

I think 2009 is going to be even better! Happy New Year!