"Grant them peace, most precious gift of all...

...make the worried world far away and small." Prayer for Home by Fernando Ortega

Today our duvet cover came! (I <3 Overstock.com) I found the absolutely most perfect one that goes with the curtains we just made. :) It was such a good weekend for us - we got lots of good projects done! Our TV room is all fixed up, our room is all pretty now, and after much sweat, blood and tears, the curtains are lovely. :)

Irony loves our new bedspread. :)

"We can make her dress so pretty...

...there's nothing to it really." The Work Song from Cinderella.

I designed my first dress!

And up close the back: (notice the one tiny button at the top :)

and the front up close. :) I love the buttons. <3

And yes, it is pink. :P

I've also finally mailed my brother-in-law his graduation present! I was kind of proud of it: dish towels with appliqued republican elephants! :)

Also, for my wonderful husband's birthday Irony and I have been doing birthday things. >^..^<

The shirt is one of his presents from me--it's a sharpie shirt that he probably will NEVER wear...but have you seen Night At The Museum 2? My favorite line in it is when The Thinker, a character in the museum, makes muscles with both arms saying, "BOOM! BANG! Firepower" then poses. It cracks me up every time (my sister-in-law does the best imitation of that EVER.) But I always think of my husband and his marvelous muscles, so I made him this shirt. :P

And all the birthday things...

Irony investigates birthday things...
Cute picture of Irony...
Exhausted after all her work.
The pretty birthday set-up. :)
This is NOT going to end well.

:) It's been a good week.

"Come my little friends...

...as we all sing a happy little working song." Happy Working Song, Amy Adams in Enchanted.

I've been sewing again! One of my sweet sisters-in-law are going to another of those costume balls (like the Civil War era one I went to last fall with Ry) and since I had no other claims on my time, I got a commission to make her a dress for the Regency ball! It was fun. I was disappointed in the selection of fabrics I have found here, but I figure I just don't know where to look yet. But it all worked out any way. :)

(Not sure what this piece will be used for...)

(Sewing is just a picturesque pastime.)

(Finished the bodice!)

(Tried it on cuz I can't resist!)

(Detail of the pretty trim)

(Finished!)

Irony, of course, wanted to be involved in everything--she was especially a fan of knocking off any spools of thread and chasing them around the house until they disappeared under various pieces of furniture. I would have to hunt around with a flashlight to peer under the couch and washer everytime I wanted to change colors. :) I suppose I could have shut her out while I worked (and I did a few times when she was frolicking amongst the pattern pieces) but really, it didn't hurt anything and it was so darned cute! The cutest ever, which hopefully I will capture on film soon, was when she dragged a small basket I have into the room, set it in the sunbeam (all by herself!) then curled up in it and fell asleep! She is SO CUTE! And Clever!

(Irony obviously being helpful as I try to cut out the lining)

(She likes to be in the middle of everything.)

(Helping is exhausting!)

And in other news, there's a job opportunity I've applied for that I want SO BAD. I don't want to say what it is on here just because there is absolutely nothing certain about me getting it, but it sounded quite positive. It would pretty much be my favorite job ever, creative and fun and busy, and I would really appreciate ya'lls prayers!

Oh, and I don't know if I've told ya'll about this yet...Ry's roommate (if you don't know why Ry has a roommate besides me, ask me later...) lives only two blocks from us with his wife, Gem; so during the week she and I have started hanging out. I adore her. She is an absolute...well, Gem! (Hence the nickname). She and I are going through Stormy Omartian's The Power of a Praying Wife (which is a fabulous book/devotional, if any of you married types haven't already read it!) but at the rate I've been going, I'll need something else soon. I have until September, so any suggestions for good Bible studies would be awesome!

Love to everyone!