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The families in Connecticut who lost loved ones, children, parents, and friends weigh heavily on so many right now.

It's easy to forget to bear one another's burdens. It's easy to forget that other people have burdens...our own often seem so huge. Until something like this happens.

Something that ravages and dehumanizes us so much that we can't ignore it.

Something that awakens an inescapable core knowledge of what is right and what is terribly and heartrendingly wrong.

That's when we hurt. 

I do this all the time, I forget that even if I can't feel it and even if it doesn't touch me - every day I live and breathe there is death and pain and agonizing hurt nearby.

 Whether you believe the same things I do or not, whether you pray and ask God for comfort or seek it somewhere else, I'm sure we can agree that sharing in this hurt and grieving with and for these families is an honor we can give those who were lost and those who remain with broken hearts.

To the families in Connecticut - we grieve for you, we hurt with you and pray for you. 

Tis The Season To...

Curtains - DIY

The credit for this idea has to go back to my mom...well played Mama, well played. I never would have thought of using a standard drop cloth used for painting houses as curtain material but it is a great idea and I love the final result. 

Project Cost: Under $50.00 for three windows. I'm a fan. This includes the cost of the sheers I picked up at Goodwill.

Here's what you need: 

- 9x12 Drop Cloth - you can get a large canvas drop cloth from Home Depot or Lowe's for about $20.00 and I got 6 panels out of one drop cloth, allow me to do the math for you...that's six 2 foot panels which isn't the typical width of a store bought curtain panel but it served my purpose. Cut it to whatever width makes you happy. 

- 1 inch dowels, a 6 foot long rod trimmed just a little fits a standard window well. Also...the diameter of this thing isn't super precise either, I think I have a 1 inch rod and maybe a few that are 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inches. For anyone confused by this, this is what you're looking for more or less, I could only find these at Lowe's.

- Sheetrock screws/anchors 

- Drill 

- Two wooden curtain brackets per window, I couldn't find a link for these on the Home Depot or Lowe's website but I know they have them. Here's a picture of what you're looking for... 

I had to paint mine, it's under $5.00 for a set. 

- Optional - curtain clips and rings. There are a few ways you can do the hanging portion of installing these curtains, if you're going for the cheapest route then you'll need to pull out your sewing machine. Your third option outside of clips and rings or sewing is to cut small slits in your panel at the top and string something twine-like through and knot it the way I did in the picture above.

 Not my favorite simply because it's time consuming and not as cute as it was in my head. 

Let's get to it...

1. Iron your drop cloth, it will take you forever. Get comfortable. Put on a movie. Prepare to get bored. Let me know if I'm the only one who smelled Wheaties while I was ironing...I really want to know if that was in my head. 

2. Cut your panels, I found it easiest to cut a straight line by folding and ironing a crease into the fabric to use as a guide. Again, for standard windows I cut two foot panels. Do your own thang. 

3. Hem your panels - I used the ironing trick again for this one, fold your cloth over just a little and put a good crease in it so you aren't fighting to keep a straight line 

Don't be super concerned about having a pretty hem...or do, just remember that I wasn't and probably never will be in any of my future sewing endeavors. 

4. This is where you get to decide how you want to hang your curtains...this is my favorite method. 

Make a 6 inch fold at the top of your panel and stitch along the edge to make a loop of fabric at the top to thread the dowel through. 

5. Paint or stain and install your wall brackets - I love the way a floor to ceiling curtain looks just because it seems to lengthen a wall visually so I installed the brackets at the very top of the wall. The width again is your call but if there isn't a wall close to the window I'll install the brackets about 8 inches wider than the window on each side. 

6. Paint or stain your curtain rod...slide your curtain, curtain rings and clips or loops of twine onto the rod and hang it up! 

I'll update with a better picture of the finished product when I can get some good light but you get the idea.

Notes 

- Length...this canvas is 9x12 so if you have standard 8 ft ceilings it's going to be a bit long even if you hem a loop into the cloth to hang it with. I actually like how it bunches a little on the floor but if you don't, just hem it a few more inches.

- Curtain sheers, you can install a whole new rod separately to put sheers on if you like that look, I chose to just put them on the same rod for now since the whole point of these curtains for me was form not function and my curtains looked a little naked. The sheers I purchased were too short so I ended up sewing another strip of the same fabric onto the bottom in order to make them the same length as my drop cloth panels. I found the sheers at Goodwill - they're there a lot if you keep your eyes open for them. 

Happy Sewing, 

Rae 

Chattanooga

This place is cool. If you've never been and you have the chance to go, do it. It lacks the glitz of Nashville and you won't find the community of artists Knoxville boasts, but it's a neat place to visit. 

The local aquarium is my favorite...gasp. I know, I live a short drive away from the world's most awesome, huge, blow-your-mind, overrated aquarium known to man kind, just ask us how great it is...we can talk about it for days. You can't blame us though, I mean honestly when we introduce guests to the city it's nice to be able to bring something up that will distract unsuspecting souls from the uncomfortable visual assault via the monstrous skewered peach that adorns the Atlanta skyline... 

Anyway, aquariums. 

I prefer what Chattanooga has to offer. 

Like this...

It's a special kind of blurry fish. The Atlanta aquarium doesn't have it... 

Also there's this lovely alligator. As you can see he is highly mobile and extremely entertaining, I also got the distinct feeling that he might have been cold. 

Chattanooga has what looks like post-apocalyptic urban terrain as decor.

 It has a very large brick couch on the sidewalk. 

This is a point in Chattanooga's favor in case you wondered...

Chattanooga also has a rowing team who I unfortunately failed to capture in is picture. They were remarkably pale and had a vaguely tortured look about them. 

xo,

Rachael   

Random

I have a few DIY and Haul posts in the making, it's true. I'm not lying.

I also have laundry to fold and dishes to wash. That's the honest to goodness truth too.

Here's the deal, I have strep throat.

I haven't been this sick in years.

Years.

I had myself convinced this morning that my fever had finally broken, no such luck. Delusional actually when it turns out I was cooking along at a toasty 102.5...

 2 p.m. rolled around and I felt like death warmed over so I said uncle and went to the doctor.

I made it a good solid 72 hours before tapping out and begging for antibiotics, yay for feeling worse for longer all for the sake of holistic naturopath pride. Blah.

After 7 bottles of Gatorade, 5 naps, who knows how many hot baths and a pretty traumatizing experience at Publix involving a disappearing prescription and subsequent tears, I seem to maybe be on the mend.

Anyway - I digress. I'm working on putting together some DIY posts and I have a lot of neat thrift store finds I picked up over the last few weeks to share...all in good time. I just have to work on this whole swallowing thing for the next day or two.

In the mean time... have a great week, stay healthy and be well.

xo, 

Rachael 

Berry Patch Farms

I love traditions, I also love Christmas - the two combined are really just peaches and cream.

Unfortunately we don't have an established Christmas tree tradition, the first year we were married we didn't even decorate our own...we had an influx of elf-like siblings who came over and took the ordeal on as a charity act.

This year instead of braving the Black Friday crowds we went to Berry Patch Farms to find the perfect tree, Home Depot ended up having the one we were after...but that trip wasn't nearly as aesthetically pleasing.

If you live in the Woodstock area, check this place out. It's family owned and operated and in the summer time (as you might have ascertained given the name...) they grow a few different crops of berries. They also have a very friendly golden retriever who is more than happy to accommodate all of your puppy-loving needs.

What are your Christmas tree traditions? 

xo,

Rachael 

Coffee Date

Want to chill a few minutes? Lets say that you're sitting here with me, you would have a warm cup of coffee in your hand, Chai tea in mine. 

The fire in my living room would be warming the whole house and I would apologize for the 10 different projects littering my living room.

 I would tell you about the list of things I need to accomplish before Thursday, but I wouldn't move. I would grab a blanket and pull up a chair so we can just talk. 

I might consider apologizing for the fact that Christmas music is playing in the background (I caved...). 

And then I would ask you what's taking up your time. What's occupying space in your heart and mind. 

I would ask you if you were ok. 

It's amazing to me what comes out of a person when you piece together those three words and aim them at somebody. 

I would want to know.

I would want to know what's making you smile these days and what burdens you. 

I would tell you that I'm learning hard lessons but that I'm content all at the same time. 

I would tell you about how the passage of time grieves me. How moments turn into memories in seconds and  it's only after that has happened that I realize what a gift now is. 

I'd tell you how I always slip back into the trap of not being grateful for today. 

I'd tell you that I'm trying, trying so hard to appreciate life for its forward movement instead of being grieved by it, and I'd be honest about how that's my Achilles' heel.  

It's funny how what we love the most, life and living, is what hurts the most. 

I would ask you what you're thankful for, what warms your heart and I would tell you that for me it's Brad. His willingness to forgive my faults and love all of me. Heart and soul, good and bad. 

I would ask you what lights up your life and what makes it all worth it.

I would tell you about how Thanksgiving has a new meaning to me this year...how the concept is occupying my thoughts and how I don't want overwhelming gratitude to be restricted to one day. 

I would tell you about my family and how Brad's little 5 year old sister makes me smile. About her habit of ending nonsensical stories with "...y'know...?" and a quizzically sympathetic look. As if the confused look on my face is just the world's biggest tragedy. 

I would thank you for coming over. Tell you how much it meant to me. And I'd ask if you wanted to do it again soon. 

xo 

Edit: Please forgive the randomly underlined words with ads attached...they aren't supposed to be there and I'm working on it.