Archives for August 2016

August in Review & HGTV Ahead!

August 30, 2016 by Patti 19 Comments

HGTV Tiny House Hunters Red Carpet Premiere Party!

Looking back through pictures I’ve taken during the month of August I thought it would be fun to do a “Looking Back” post highlighting some of my favorite things, and also give you a “tiny” peek at what’s ahead.

First the peek ahead because . . . EEEK . . . I can hardly contain myself! Back in May I posted on my Facebook page that I had the opportunity to assist in decorating one of HGTV’s Tiny House Hunters tiny houses (whew that’s a mouthful) alongside some dear friends of mine. After that initial news we were required to keep all hush-hush about our awesome, crazy, fun experience. This Saturday night, those of us who were the decorators for this Piecrust Productions, Tiny House episode will be getting a sneak peak of the show at our own Outdoor Premiere Party!

I’ll keep you updated as to the date it will air on TV so stay tuned!

On now to the looking back part and sharing some things I’ve done, some things others have done (that I LOVE), and a few family photos.

This is my Favorite New Instagram feed to follow and one of her amazing centerpieces! - Mary Nett @wren_willow

The Gardenia bushes in my yard had a second bloom - Heavenly!

This cutest ever Frenchy Crown from the Queen Bee Art Cottage came across my feed as a memory on Facebook this month.

Gus the Pheasant - My daughter Joy’s new friend whom she met at The National Aviary in Pittsburgh last weekend.

Sasha the Boxador and Cozette the Beagle posing for National Dog Day.

A photo taken in my backyard - After the Rain

Where I am so far in the screened porch makeover - Sitting Porch to Sleeping Porch.

A New Pink Chair for my desk area - Hubby’s choice!

A visit from Seattle friends whom I worked with 100 years ago. We still look the same 🙂

A new favorite Facebook friend to follow - Chic Shabby and French - Her daily feed is stunning!

My beloved daughter Bethany’s 30th Birthday!

That’s my August in pictures my friends.

Love, hugs, and many blessings to you all,

No peaking allowed!

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story, IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife , ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers - Part 2

August 26, 2016 by Patti 13 Comments

Hey y’all! I’m back with Part 2 of French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers. In Part 1 (HERE) I shared instructions for sewing an Envelope Pillow . . . the easiest pillow in the world! In Part 2 I will show you, step-by-step, how I sewed the Ruffled Slipcovers for my patio chairs.

These tutorials are a result of your requests after my post about creating a French Courtyard Look on my backyard deck. You can view that post right HERE.

So here it is, for your sewing pleasure 🙂

These instructions are based on the particular type of patio chair I have but with a little ingenuity adjustments can be made to fit a different style. I made my slipcovers with ruffles on three sides of the chair (you can do all four if you prefer) and added extra fabric across the back to tuck under the chair seat. This, along with ties, helps to keep the slipcover in place.

Step 1: Remove your chair seat from the chair and make a pattern by laying it on a piece of lightweight cardboard and tracing around it.

Step 2: Cut out the cardboard pattern, lay it on top of your fabric of choice (I used painter’s drop cloth fabric) and trace around it with a pencil . . . then STOP . . .read the next part carefully!

. . . Don’t cut your fabric on that line! On the front and two sides of your chair cover make your cut approximately 5/8″ away from the pencil line. On the back side of the chair cover make your cut approximately 3″ away from the pencil line (or long enough to tuck under the back of your particular type of chair seat).

Step 3: Hem back edge of chair cover by turning edge under 1/4″, then turning under another 1/4″ and hemming it on the sewing machine. Do this step before moving on to the ruffle.

Step 4: Measure the distance from the back right corner of your chair seat, all the way around the front and to the back left corner. Double this number. This is the measurement you will use for the length of your ruffle.

Step 5: Cut a 6-8″ wide piece of fabric (depending on how wide you want your ruffle to be) the length of the doubled measurement in Step 4 above.

Step 6: Sew two rows of basting stitch 1/4″ apart, along one long edge of the ruffle piece. Knot one end and gently pull threads to gather.

Step 6: Adjust gathers to fit your ruffle to the three sides of the chair top, and pin in place.

Step 7: Sew ruffle to chair top and remove basting stitches.

Step 8: Top stitch along the edge, close to the ruffle for a finished look. Hem the raw edge of your ruffle by turning under 1/4″ then turning under 1/4″ again and hemming on the sewing machine.

Moving right along to chair ties:

Step 9: Cut four ties for each chair. Mine were 16″ long x 2″ wide. Fold the short ends of the ties under 1/4″ and press in place, then fold the two long edges inward (in the same direction as the short turns) until the raw edges touch.

Fold the entire length in half again and stitch the folded edges closed on the sewing machine.

Step 10: At this point, if you have a buttonholer, make button holes approximately 2″ from the hemmed back edge of the seat cover and in the correct position for the ties to wrap around an anchor (chair frame or slat) on the back seat of your chair (every chair will be unique). Slide the ends of the ties through the open button holes and stitch them in place on the sewing machine.

Tie your ties into a bow onto the back of the chair and tuck the excess fabric under the back of the chair seat. Note: I actually couldn’t find my buttonholer so I cut a slit, slipped my ties through it, used fray check on the raw edges, and sewed the ties in place on the machine.

Voila’! There you have it.

Another request from my original post was for a tutorial for the Burlap Table Runner. That will be an upcoming post later in the Fall.

Thank you SO much for taking an interest in the things I create here at Old Things New and for being so kind as to ask for more. I am one lucky girl to have readers as sweet as you.

Blessings to you my friends,

If you like this please PIN and SHARE!

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers - Part 1

August 22, 2016 by Patti 19 Comments

On Saturday morning Mr. OTN and I sat on the back porch drinking coffee and planning our day. It wasn’t long before our talk turned to more serious life matters and, as the discussion became hard Mr. OTN said,

“Let’s get in the car and go exploring. Let’s go somewhere we’ve never been.”

My first reaction was to remind him of all of the things we needed to take care of at home, unfinished projects, finances, yard work, etc., . . . and the more I talked about all that we needed to do the more I too, wanted to escape.

So we did. With a promise that Monday would be an all day work fest here at home!

We drove up to Talulah Falls in the Georgia mountains where we hiked a little and enjoyed some spectacular scenery.

Then we drove down into Lakemont, Georgia and came across a small artist’s village where we had lunch on the front porch of Annie’s at Attic Annie’s.

As much as I love being at home, sometimes getting out of my own environment is what I need to hit my refresh button.

My senses were filled right here, sitting on the front porch of the diner. And the overwhelming sense of contentment I caught in this place stayed with me the rest of the weekend.

Summer breezes blowing round me, watching people come and go, a Reuban’s delicious aroma, the sweet-tart tingle of lime Perrier on my tongue, the sound of mountain birds behind the chatter of other diners. Being together here, was a beautiful place to be.

Now it’s Monday and I’m ready to seize the day, beginning by sharing this tutorial and some photos of our very own favorite place to share a cup of coffee.

Earlier this summer I wrote a post on how I gave a French Courtyard Feeling to my backyard deck. We have thoroughly enjoyed this space this summer and when I look at these earlier pictures I can really see how much our plants have grown!

I do believe our flowers like it here in South Carolina.

From that post I received requests for tutorials on the French Pillows and Ruffled Slipcovers I made for my patio chairs. So before the summer is over, here is Part 1 where I’ll share with you how to sew an envelope pillow. These are just the EASIEST pillows ever as there is no hand hemming or adding of zippers or other closures.

I HEART envelope pillows!

For both the pillows and the slipcovers I used one of my very favorite fabrics for projects, painter’s drop cloth fabric of course! I washed it first in hot water and dried it on the highest heat setting to be sure there would be no shrinkage after sewing. Let’s get started:

Envelope Pillow Instructions:

Step one: Measure your pillow form and add 1″ for seam allowance.

Step two: Cut your first piece of fabric to that measurement. (my 14″ x 14″ pillow insert needed a 15″ x 15″ piece of fabric). This will be your pillow front.

Step three: Cut a second piece of fabric the same width but add 6″ to the height (for a 14″ x 14″ pillow insert mine was 15″ x 20″).

Step four: Cut your second piece of fabric in half horizontally (this gave me two pieces 15″ wide x 10″ high). These pieces will be the back of your pillow.

Step five: On each of the two back pieces make a 1/4″ fold on the edges that you just cut in half. Press with an iron. Fold this same edge over a second time making a 1″ fold and press again. Stitch hem in place on sewing machine.

Step six: Lay your front piece of fabric face up. Lay your two back pieces of fabric over the front piece face down, matching the raw edges of the fabric. Your hemmed edges will be overlapping. Use straight pins to pin front and backs together.

Step seven: Sew the pinned pieces together in a 1/2″ seam all around the four sides.

Step eight: Make a diagonal cut across each of the four corners of the pillow cover,

. . . turn right side out, and use a pencil eraser or other non-sharp object to push out the corners of the pillow cover.

Insert your pillow form into the back opening and you’re done!

For my French Courtyard look I used French lettering stencils and acrylic craft paint from Michael’s. I also embellished them with rosettes made from strips of drop cloth fabric. You can find a tutorial for making Rosettes right HERE.

That’s the end of Part 1. I’ll be back with Part 2, Ruffled Slipcovers next time.

Don’t forget to PIN me!

Now, tell me. Do you have a favorite way to hit the “refresh” button in your life? What does that look like for you? Is it always something “spiritual” that you find renewal in or can it be something like my Saturday getaway? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings friends,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome,RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries,The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses,SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story,IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home,Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart,MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson,MyRepurposedLife , ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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Today is the Day That Hope Prevails!

August 16, 2016 by Patti 14 Comments

Ten months ago I met the Happiest Girl in the World!

We’d been in the same online writer’s group for some time and within this group I always noticed her joy shining through the crowd of hundreds. Attracted to the light within her I began to follow her writings where she offers hope to the hurting. As a Neurophychologist Dr. Bengtson’s doctorly advice is amazing, but it was her joy-filled countenance, positive attitude, and sheer energy that struck me most about this new friend of mine.

Where did this contagious joy come from?

When Dr. Michelle and I finally met face-to-face at the Allume writer’s conference last Fall, and she asked me to be a part of her book launch team for Hope Prevails, I was ecstatic! She was, in my mind, one of the BIG ones! A writer of substance. A writer with authority. A writer with a long list of letters coming after her name to show that she was worthy of paying heed to.

And given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of her book I would have the chance to inspect the reason for her JOY.

I’m pleased to announce that TODAY is the formal release of Dr. Michelle’s new book, Hope Prevails! This book is unique in that it offers insight from Dr. Michelle’s personal journey through depression. I was stunned to learn that this joy-filled woman once lived without hope and in the depths of despair. In her desperation she tried using the same methods she’d given her patients to overcome depression only to find that they didn’t work. This is when she began addressing the spiritual side of depression. Dr. Michelle states that if we don’t address the spiritual side , We are just applying band aids and hoping our soul gets well #HopePrevails Click To Tweet

She also states emphatically that,

Depression does not have to become a permanent way of life #HopePrevails Click To Tweet

This is good, GOOD news!

This book is Dr. Bengtson’s life’s work. In it she shares how God can shine the brightest light in our darkest moments so that we are not alone. As Dr. B. says, My book, Hope Prevails, shows us that nothing we face is too big for God. ‪#‎HopePrevails‬. Click To Tweet
This book is powerful and offers real HOPE. I wholeheartedly recommend Hope Prevails and cordially invite you to get a copy of Dr. Michelle Bengtson’s book today. If not for you, then for someone you love.

Expect to be blessed!

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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What I Don’t Want in a Friend & a REAL Friends Podcast

August 15, 2016 by Patti 25 Comments

This is what I DON’T want in a friend:

I don’t want friends who wear only the latest fashions and walk boldly through life with nary a trip in their stilettos. I don’t want friends who are up on all the latest gossip and eager to hear what I have to share so they can run off and tell others. I don’t want friends who know how to put on the perfect face - whether that is with loads of makeup or a fake smile to hide the pain that lies beneath. I don’t want friends who rock the latest hairstyles without one ounce of wilt – EVER - and look sexy in selfies taken when they first wake up in the morning.

Now while all that is a bit of an exaggeration it’s no secret that over the years I’ve had my share of rejection and betrayed confidences that kept me leery of developing deep female friendships. Part of the rejection I felt was real because, let’s face it, there are real cliques among women – even The Women of The Church . . .EEEK! But part of my feeling of being left out was my own insecurity and belief that I was “not enough.”

Those of you who know my story know that God has done a great work of healing in my life. He has erased the shame, guilt, and condemnation that I carried with me daily and set me free to tell others who I really am instead of hiding behind my “Perfect Patti” moniker. He has restored me to being the person He first created me to be – before the mistakes of a life (not so) well lived. Hallelujah!

The purpose of today’s post is to share a Podcast that my friend Holly recently taped. It is a conversation between four friends. Two of us, Debbie and I, have been friends for years. The other two, Holly and Mary also have a long standing friendship. The four of us together have been developing a bond ever since we met ten months ago at the Allume writer’s conference.

Together is a Beautiful Place to Be

This Podcast was taped last month when we had a REAL LIFE meetup in Pigeon Forge, TN. In it you will hear a bit about our time together, what we’ve been reading lately, and how Mary loves to get her dancin’ feet on. You’ll also hear about other Podcasts we’ve been listening to and the experience of hearing for the first time the voice of someone you’ve admired as a writer and saying, “Awww . . . that’s just the way I thought she’d sound,” -OR- maybe, simply, “Oh MY!”

I hope you’ll take the time to turn up the volume and listen while you go about your daily chores. It will make the time fly and possibly give you a much needed chuckle today.

Click on Holly’s picture below to listen to the Podcast! I’ve also shared links below to Mary and Debbie’s websites.

Holly Barrett - Living a Redeemed Life

These friends are truly for me and for one another - Holly Barrett Click To Tweet

Mary Geisen - Passage Through Grace

I see redemption in the beautiful gift of grace - Mary Geisen Click To Tweet

Debbie Kitterman - Dare 2 Hear

We have to be for one another - Debbie Kitterman Click To Tweet

After you listen I hope you’ll take the time to visit and share the love.

Blessings friends, because you ARE my friends, and so very dear to my heart,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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