Vintage Heirloom

Lilly's great-grandmother, Frieda, gave Lilly this baby doll bed Saturday at our family Father's Day celebration. Frieda's father made it for her when she was about Lilly's age. Treasure.

And Frieda and her daughter (Lilly's grandmother) neatly stitched a new sheet for the bed.

Within two minutes the bed was full of Larry Boy, baby dolls and Star Wars figures, much to Frieda's delight.

[Rebekah is flying the friendly skies this evening to hear her dad speak at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, KY on Wednesday; therefore, Nathan is publishing this post; therefore-therefore, any and all errors belong entirely to him]

Friends From the Start

Lately, I have been blessed by a certain sweet, dear friend. Paula Voris is one of the most wonderful people I know and has been a constant encourager to me. And now, as a thank you to her, she's going to get this wall-hanging thingamajig from me.

I started this project last night with a blank, white 8x10 canvas and painted it yellow. Five yo-yos, four buttons, three ribbon stems, one rub-on and a painted chipboard bird later (notice it's my yeebird?), it was finished. A thank you note is written on the back.

*Excited to deliver it to Paula today!*

Crafty Creations is asking for How Does Your Garden Grow? inspired projects this week. Think I'll link this one!

Painting for Daddy

Lots of painting happened today at our house. I used a piece of chipboard backing that came on some packaging as the background for this Father's Day card. It was fun scrunching up a paper towel and painting the chipboard green. Next, I painted a little orange around the border, and painted "dad" orange, then green on the edges.

Oh, and I also cut a thin strip from my Hambly overlay and painted its edges, too, then glued it in the center to separate the pictures. Of course I had to sew on it, too--around the photo edges.

I used my dime store dictionary again for this card (since "fatigue", "fatty", and "fatso" come right after my chosen words, I had to be selective in my cutting, ha ha). My friend, Lexi introduced me to using a dictionary on layouts. If you want a real treat, please visit her wonderful blog. She has so many incredible ideas. Check out this post to see the sweet banner she just finished.

My favorite thing about this card is the photos are inside some baseball trading cards I got at Staples. It makes it look a little extra special and finished, but didn't translate well on the pictures. If they look a little fuzzy/cloudy, it's because they are inside of these. In person, I think it makes them look pretty fabulous, like they are behind glass. Oooh!

More painting . . . Ian and Lilly each painted pictures for daddy. Yes, they are painting sans shirts. Tummies wash much better!


A little paint on the nose. LOVE this photo.

It bothers Lilly a LOT to have messy hands. "Wash hands, mama?" I'm working on her -- I want my children to be okay with making messes and experiencing things.

Here's a tip. We eat our weight in yogurt in this house. I've started buying these Hiland yogurts. They are the perfect size for holding paint, becoming bug houses, scooping rice, making an instrument, you name it.

Happy Father's Day, everyone.

Father's Day Series (3): Grandpa and Papaw

Not sure there are many gals on the planet who have two grandpas as wonderful as I do. My grandpa Marshall is a precious pastor. He loves the unlovable. He is good to my grandmother. He raised my dad, and did a pretty darn good job. He is said to never stop smiling. Speaking of never stopping, he never stops moving, either. Boundless energy!

Always so proud of his son, here's grandpa intently listening to dad speak at a convention in 2005.

My Papaw Huey is on the other side now. I miss him. Badly. Papaw never met a stranger. He could fix a lawn mower with his eyes closed. He fed birds and squirrels sometimes from the palm of his hand. He cooked a mean fried chicken. And he became better with age. Much better, every single day. And I see his gentleness reflected in my mama.


Another Father's Day gift idea--bookmark:

Print a small photo and stitch the four corners to a length of grosgrain ribbon. Trim ribbon edges at an angle.

This bookmark is three years old and still being used. Definitely a nice and practical gift.

Blankets and Beanies

Have you heard of Craft Hope? Jade and her team are doing an amazing job improving the lives of many, many children around the world. Right now they are collecting baby blankets, beanies, and booties for newborn babies in three different villages of India.

When Ian and Lilly got to bed tonight, I started to work. I used two old maternity t-shirts (won't be needing those ever again) to make four newborn beanies. Download Amanda Soule's pattern for turning t-shirts into beanies here. SUPER easy.

Then, I made a quick quilt, sewing three long strips of different fabrics together for one side, then attaching it to the soft minky fleece goodness for the backside.

My box is ready to send. It feels good to help a sweet, new baby stay warm. Check out Craft Hope for yourself and make another baby warm! Thanks!!

Now, a Father's Day idea . . .

I made this tie cake for Nathan's first Father's Day (2005). It's easy to do and your children can help you decorate. Since Ian was only 2.5 mos. old at the time, I was on my own.

Buy a ready-made pound cake. Use a mega serrated knife to cut angles on the sides (you can chow these--won't need 'em). Also cut two triangles to make the bottom of the tie. Attach these two triangles to the top with toothpicks to make the knot of the tie. Ice cake. Use Fruit by the Foot and icing gel for stripes.

Place in a box resembling a tie box.
(any ideas on how to make a flip-flops cake? my man's more flip-flops than tie guy now)

One last, totally unrelated, severely creepy thing . . .
Check out what Nathan found on our driveway tonight. Not sure if I'll get much sleep tonight!!!
(is it weird that we wanted to capture it?)

Father's Day Series (2): Nathan

So the kids pretty much struck gold when they got you as a dad, sweets. You're the best human punching bag/jungle gym. EVER. And you're always bringin' the funny. Like tonight, after playing crazy with Ian all evening in his room, you come out, point to a big scratch on your forehead, and say, "Know what that is? That's what happens when a band of pirates led by Jabba the Hut attacks the Bat Cave."

Love that "day 1" daddy picture. We were clueless, weren't we? I remember you got a migraine or something that day at the hospital. I thought you were going to pass out or worse. Then, we brought Ian home and I think it took about 5 minutes before he started crying. Remember?

But it's been a great ride and still is. And I love how you and Ian wrestle like mad and you always get injured, but you can be so extremely gentle with him, too, and so loving with sweet Lilly. You're the whole package, Williams. Happy Dad's Day.

For the rest of you . . .
Here is the link to a fun, super cheap Father's Day gift you can make with your kids. Ian and I made three last year, one for Nathan and one for each grandpa.


Let your child do the painting. Some of the blocks may turn out like this, but that adds to the charm.

Father's Day Series (1): Thanks, Dad

Dad,

Thanks for being holy, genuine, tender, trustworthy, and compassionate. Thanks for always being the same man at home as you are at church. Thank you for never saying a bad word about anyone, no matter what they do to you.

Thanks for making me a priority--attending every violin and piano recital, for trips to Sonic after high school, and for visiting me every Tuesday in Fayetteville. Thanks for loving mom and John and me unconditionally, and for expecting kindness in our home.

Thanks for loving my kids with all your heart, for your obsession with them, for your influence on them. Thank you for accepting everyone, especially me, with all my faults.

You are larger than life, but no problem is too small for you to step in and show you care.

Happy Father's Day, dad. I love you.

click on images to enlarge