Self Portrait Challenge - { dancing }

Dancing does not have to take place in the company of others for it to be meaningful...

Dancing does not have to be in an important place for it to be special...

It should, however, move your heart, your soul, your spirit - otherwise, it is just exercise.





For the final week of Self Portrait Challenge's "Headless" theme.

the mischievious baton twirler

You don't see what is happening behind me when I'm shooting still shots of my clothing designs, but sometimes (like today) I manage to spin around and catch a mischievious little person hovering behind me with curiousity.





And this was one of those rarer occasions when that little person also smiles nicely!

She found my old baton in the attic when we were doing some cleaning last weekend, and decided she wanted to learn. She's doing fairly well, too!

Ultimate Blog Party!

**the Ultimate Blog Party runs for a week, so this post will stay at the top for that time. Please scroll past this post for newer posts!**



Welcome to my little party!

First, every party needs a little music, so feel free to press play...

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Next, let me tell you a little about myself.
My name is Rebekah, and I love my life!

I homeschool my two daughters, I have a great husband, and we live in the great state of Texas.

I have a small business making boutique clothing for girls, and you'll find posts about new designs on occasion here on my blog.

I have been enjoying learning about photography, which I also share from time to time here on my blog.

I take ballet class, I love to read & cook & crochet, and spend time with my friends both in real life and on their blogs!

And last but certainly not least, I am wholeheartedly in love with Jesus -
I have found true joy, freedom and purpose with Him!


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Finally, what would a party be without presents??

I'm giving away this sweet tote bag!

It's the perfect size for your book or magazine and a few necessities as you head to the pool with your kids this summer! Yes, summer will be here before you know it, right?




Head over to my etsy shop by clicking here, tell me in a comment what your favorite thing I have listed is, and you'll be entered in the drawing! International entries welcome, too!

I'll be drawing at the end of the Ultimate Blog Party on the evening of the 27th, and adding the winner to this post!

Thanks for visiting, hope to see you again soon!


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Friday 3/27 UPDATE:
I have a winner for my giveaway!


Comment #29 was Paula H, who said:
I love the Fuzzy Swirly Scarf. My daughter would love it.

I'm emailing you, Paula - I'll need your address so I can send you your swell tote bag!!

Fingerprint Friday { bread }

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'"
John 6:35


Bread is such a basic food, and has long been considered a staple food (until Atkins and South Beach came along!)

That's what Jesus is saying here - He is THE staple of life, you will be permanently filled when you invite Him in. You won't have to start looking elsewhere for more another day.

This recipe is extremely easy, does not require kneading... but you still get that yummy fresh bread smell & that cozy feeling that you've made something good.


Buttermilk Rolls

4 c. flour (you can substitute whole wheat if you like - I did for the rolls above)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast (or one yeast packet)
3 Tbsp. honey (or sugar)
2 Tbsp. olive oil (or melted butter)
2 c. buttermilk (or try this substitute), warmed to 120-130° (no colder, no hotter)

Place 2 c. of the flour, and the next 3 ingredients in mixing bowl. Add the honey & olive oil, then begin to slowly add the milk while stirring (or mixing on low with an electric mixer) until all the milk is incorporated. Gradually stir in the remaining flour, mix until well-blended.

Scrape dough into a ball in the bottom of the bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise for about 30 minutes (until it has doubled in size (approximately).

Generously dust a large cutting board (or clean countertop) with flour. Turn the dough out, add some more flour. Pat it into a long French-Bread-loaf-type shape. Spray a sharp knife with non-stick spray, then use it to cut dough into 24 equal pieces.

Place pieces in muffin pans sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover again with kitchen towels for another 30 minutes. Remove towels, carefully slide pans into the oven and bake @ 425° for 15-20 minutes until golden.



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There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.

more darling

I just listed two more one-of-a-kind listings from my "darling" line in my etsy shop...


skirt and top




halter dress with vintage chenille bodice




One more "darling" set is in the works, as well...

Self Portrait Challenge - { my favorite shoes }

for Self Portrait Challenge's "Headless" theme...

vital stats
age : 2 years
heel height : 2.5"
size : 8.5US
color : black
materal : satin upper, leather soles
comfort on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) : 4

My husband offered to go with me on my birthday two years ago to buy a nice pair of shoes, which totally surprised me. He sat patiently while I tried on several pairs in a very nice department store. He paid the bill when I picked these.

They make me feel fantastic when I wear them. What can I say.

any excuse I can find

I love soup! And since my family doesn't really like eating it when it's hot (which is about 8 months of the year here), I use any excuse I can get away with to make it.

Spring has been in full swing here, but today a cool wind has been blustering its way through, and it's just a bit nippy outside. So can you guess what I made for dinner?

If you love tomato basil soup from La Madeleine & other restaurants, you will love this easy recipe that I found over on Recipezaar. I used a can of fat-free evaporated milk in place of the cream & olive oil in place of the butter for a healthier version, it still tasted fantastic!

By the way, Recipezaar is a fantastic site - if your grandmother's next door neighbor's cousin made something that you loved but have never found since, try looking for it on this site, and you just might find it!

I also made little mini-grilled cheese sandwiches from whole wheat French bread & cheddar cheese. I found this recipe while blog hopping for the Ultimate Blog Party! They were a big hit with the girls - I think I'll make them again, even without the soup.

Fingerprint Friday { redbud blossoms }

There's a reason God put certain plants in specific parts of the world and not in others.
They are able to get the right amounts of moisture, sunshine, and temperature that will help them grow to be the very best they can be.

Why, then, do we take these plants and trees and flowers from other parts of the country, or even from different countries altogether, with totally different weather and latitudes, and plant them in places not native to them? I suppose it is nice to have something familiar to grow if you have come from the same place as the plants did, but the truth is it is far harder on that plant to have to survive in the wrong environment, if it survives at all.

The same can be said for people.

God put us where we are from the day we were born for a reason.
He knew what you would become because of where you've been.
He wanted someone just like you, with all your uniqueness from being there.
And yes, sometimes we choose to step outside of the places He has for us,
yet when we come back to Him, we will thrive again.


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This is a Redbud tree, which I planted in my yard this fall. I was so excited to see these blossoms begin their show last week. I picked it because it is a native tree to my state and zone, and with the right care now it will someday thrive despite the dry, hot summers.

I am an advocate for educating yourself to grow plants native to your area - they may not be available at your mass-merchant hardware store, but it is worth the trip to a native nursery.







There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in:

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints.

2. Be sure to link so others can find the entire list of participants! Go over to PamperingBeki's blog to add your link to the list of participants.

those deep eyes

She's been with us for over a month now,
and I still wonder what she's thinking about sometimes.
She's telling a story with her eyes,
I just wish I knew what it was.

"darling"

New pieces of my "darling" line...

I have a small amount of these fabrics, so I have been working on a series of one-of-a-kind designs with them. Each exact design will not be repeated! Watch for more of my "darling" pieces in the next week...







Also, my white eyelet underset is back for this spring season! The perfect backdrop to all those beautiful dresses, skirts & other boutique pieces...




Find it all here in my etsy shop...

treasure this time

I want to treasure this time

what's past has gone by in a blur

someday when they are grown

I hope to remember the good

so I must keep my head about me now

for Self Portrait Challenge "headless" theme

pink pink pink!

Two new skirts on etsy...


pink roses apron skirt

pink garden skirt & top

jenga

I picked up this Jenga game at my local Just Between Friends semi-annual resale for $1! All this fun for just a buck!

Grown-ups are far too serious for this game. I've never seen the tower sway so much, yet the girls seemed so unconcerned since it remained standing after each turn.

Crochet Along

Isn't this jacket lovely?
It reminds me of Audrey Hepburn's classic clothing.

It's also the design that has been chosen for Lion Brand Yarn's 2009 Crochet Along! You can download the pattern for free until March 23, buy your yarn, and work along with thousands of others on this beauty over the next few weeks.

I'm thinking I'll be picking a different color scheme, if possible, because brown is not one of the best colors on me. I'm going to try to go shopping for the yarn tonight! I rarely make something for myself, so that's the excitement for me.

You can check out the Crochet Along Blog here...
You can get the free pattern download here...
You can see pictures of others' progress & chat on the Flickr group here...

Let me know if you decide to crochet along, I'd love to see what you make, too!

more new pretties

While I am rarely doing customs anymore, we're going to Florida for vacation next month! So I've listed these customs on eBay for a launch with the new group, BerriPop, and I hope you'll go bid!

Custom top or dress (you choose the length)
Started at just $.99!!!
Click here to see...

Final offering of these custom jeans
(this design has been very popular this spring!)
Click here to see...

be still my heart

I really love to cook, and I love serious appliances that help me do it better. I have come to the realization that my 15 year old food processor is just not very helpful. Its inexpensive plastic components are cracking, and it sparks sometimes when I push the button. So I've been shopping for a new one, only to be dismayed at how much a good one is going to cost me.

And then I found this...

Suddenly the cost pales in comparison to the beautiful blueness
that is this 13-cup 700 watt appliance.


I still haven't ruled out Cuisinart... anyone have a Kitchenaid or a Cuisinart and have an opinion? Please, do share in a comment!

catching up...

Still catching up on things after being sick...
I've just listed some new little things in my etsy shop...

Self Portrait Challenge - { headless }

As I already mentioned yesterday, I had the flu last week & the week before, and so did my whole family. So when this month's Self Portrait Challenge theme of "Headless" began last week, I knew exactly what my first submission would be.

If I could just get up the energy to stage the shot.
And then edit it.
And then put it online & write about it.
Nothing is as easy when you're sick... so I'm very thankful to be well again.
I feel like I have my head back, actually.

... sparkly spring ...

Chad brought the flu home from a trip he took for work two weeks ago... I was the last to come down with it at the beginning of this week. Mine was a relatively light case, but I've been so tired and had a hard time catching back up.

In the midst of being sick, a little treasure arrived in my mailbox from allisonbean on etsy...

Isn't this sooo sweet?
The wire is coated with glitter, and the little white clay egg looks so peaceful. At about 3" wide, it is just dainty enough to fit just about anywhere...I have put mine in my china cabinet amongst my milk glass...
Go get one while they last, she is having a sale! Such an affordable little spring treat!