Monday, February 28, 2011

Ahnalin's Very Own "Special" Vintage Bedroom




This is Ahnalin's very own room.
A girl's very own room is always special,
but this room is Extra Special!
And today, I finally finished it.



For the first four years Ahnalin
was in our family,
she slept in our room.

 Because she had Anxious Attachment,
a form of Reactive Attachment Disorder,
we felt it was best to keep her close to us.




When she turned 5, 
she moved into her sister's bedroom
and loved it!

But now, she has her very first,
very own bedroom!

When I was looking through my fabric stash,
I found many, many wonderful fabrics
that I could have used to make her room special.
But when it came down to it, she and I 
decided that she wanted most of the things
in her room to be "special".




To Ahnalin, "Special" means it 
came from someone she loves,
or a family member whom
she never got the chance to meet.


This curio secretary came from my 
grandmother's home and belonged
to my great grandmother. 

The angel playing violin is 
from her Nana and Papa.

The darling picture of my niece is from my brother 
and sister-in-law.

The antique doll cradle was a gift from my great aunt
but the quilt is Ahnalin's blue ribbon first 
quilt she entered into the fair last year!



The hand painted dresser is a vintage piece from
my sister-in-law and niece.

The dollhouse is from my friends Tika and Susan. 
The faded floral pictures were from my grandmother.



The rocking horse was made by
my grandfather for India, 
when she was a baby. 

The braided rug was made by my mother
when she and my dad were missionaries in Jamaica.

The bunny teapot and cup are
part of a set given to Ahnalin by 
my dear friend Melissa and her daughter Katie.

The Bible is from Don's parents.



The quilt and quilted sham were made
by my mother and me for my dorm room,
before I went off to Bethany University.

My mom embroidered many, many hearts
all over this quilt, 
reminding me that I was loved at home.

The bed skirt was one I had made for
India when she used this quilt on her bed 
at the same age.




The pillows belonged to India,
my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, and me. 

I made the double ruffled Euro Sham for 
India when she was 6.



This is a piece of Chinese art called "The Wedding Party"
that my Daddy gave to Ahnalin. 


The "Happy Cats" are from Ahnalin's Aunt
and the dolls are from Don's 
parents and some from us. 

This little daisy is actually only about 
1/4 of an inch tall. 

My cousin painted 
it for MY dollhouse when I was a little girl.  
It now lives in the girl's bedroom 
in Ahnalin's dollhouse.  


Now these are some of the only things in 
the room that I actually sewed for
Ahnalin. 
I bought this Laura Ashley cotton sateen
about 14 years ago at a garage
sale for 50 cents a yard! 
And the blackout lining was in my stash too. 

The rabbit lamp in the pictures 
is something I ordered for Ahnalin
when we were waiting for her to come home.

And the Calico Critters Dollhouse
and furniture has been part of 
her presents for birthdays and Christmas
since she was 3. 

My friend Sheri gave Ahnalin the 
pink jewelry box this year for Christmas.


The darling pink crocheted pig purse
was a gift from our friend Melody.

And Ahnalin wanted to have 
her favorite Mama smocked dress
on one of my dress forms. 


The Baby Dumbo was a gift from
her big sister India,
and the little mouse Huxley was a gift
from Daddy on the day we moved here.
The much loved Bunny came with us
to China when we adopted her!

  
I almost forgot to show this! 
I bought this Bunny Jo wallpaper border
15 years ago, when I was 
an interior designer for Laura Ashley stores.

We were trying desperately to have
another baby at that point,
and I bought this border on faith
that someday we would have another child.

So of course, it HAD to go in Ahnalin's room!



Ahnalin LOVES her new room!
In it, she is surrounded by love.
She is surrounded by things that
were owned or given to her
by loving, creative, giving,
faithful people. 

Very, very Special indeed! 

Now, I had better get back to my sewing.
Ahnalin wants to dress up like Laura Ingalls
for Book Day this week!
Happy Sewing!

 

Monday, February 14, 2011

My Romance



Tuck and Patti are a husband and wife duo who originally recorded
this song on their 1988 album
"Tears Of Joy".
Just pretend that guitar player, Tuck, 
is my Hot Rockin' Hubby, Don.

And then pretend that the singer, Patti, 
is me. 


This is the version of "My Romance" that Don and I performed during our wedding ceremony way back in August, 1988. 

Yes, I sang at my own wedding, 
and Don played guitar.

My Romance was originally written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the Doris Day movie "Billy Rose's Jumbo". 
It has been performed by thousands over the years.

But it is "Our Song".

Happy Valentines Day everyone.

And to my very own valentine,
I love you!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Happy Blogaversary To Me - OR- Trying To Climb Out of My Funk


I know I have been pretty absent lately.

Yesterday was my 2 year Blogaversary.

And I missed it.

In fact, I haven't blogged for 2 weeks.



I have to admit to being in rather a bit of a funk.

I have not been feeling really great
due to a broken tooth that I ignored
far too long.

And January is always really a hard month for me
emotionally.

And I think all the emotions and changes from our
move were taking their toll.


And I really miss India.

I mean, I KNEW I was going to miss her.

And while I was so happy she was getting to
go live her dream,
I was dreading her going.


 I kept trying to start sewing projects,
to get motivated.

But I just could not climb out of this funk.


So last weekend,
I told the Hot Rockin' Hubby that I NEEDED
to see the ocean.

I NEEDED the ocean air.


And since we live less than an hour away from
the ocean, here in Sonoma County
we hopped in the car and drove!


We parked at Doran Beach
 and Ahnalin immediately took off her socks
 and boots and started running.

It was COLD!!

 OVERCAST!!

And COMPLETELY WONDERFUL!!



The town of Bodega Bay was celebrating
Chowder Day,
which meant we got to sample 10 different
chowders and vote for our favorite.


Our favorite was Spud Point Crab Company,
who also happened to be the winners of the contest
yet again.


Yes, Ahnalin's ever present jump rope
came with us.

She jumps everywhere.


We had a great time.

And it helped.

As to my tooth,
 well, I made an appointment with a dentist
in our church for Valentine's Day.

Her office called yesterday and said they had
a cancellation and I should come in to the office today.

So, I went, after freaking out all night long.

And now I feel better.
She did a temporary fix on my tooth until I can afford
to have a root canal and crown.
She could not believe I was so calm in the office,
because the tooth was so badly broken.

But it felt so much better than it had for the last several months!
Quite miraculous actually!


I am still not finished with my sewing chair.
Right now I am working on Ahnalin's curtains
for her bedroom.
I put up some vintage
Laura Ashley border that I had been saving for years.

I want to get the curtains done and then do a new
duvet, bed skirt and sham for her room as well.

She is having a tea party on Saturday for some
of her new little friends at church,
so my goal is to have her room done by then.

I am trying hard to climb out of the fog
right now.

I am so very grateful for all the wonderful things
in my life and family.

I guess that just a lot of change all at once
was harder on me than I thought it would be.

And I guess I am trying to be a little
more gracious and merciful to myself as well.

I hope to have something to show for myself
in the next few days.