French Country – Old Things New

Summer Blues (and Whites) with Rejoicing on the Side

August 8, 2017 by Patti 24 Comments

It’s an ordinary Tuesday. The day of the week that I’m most likely to share a home related post. Well, I’ve still got one for ya’ but I couldn’t help but share that there is something about this Tuesday that had me singing in the shower and dancing down the stairs to my computer.

Sometimes our prayers are answered quickly, sometimes we never see the answer in our lifetimes, and sometimes the prayers go on for a long, long time until suddenly…

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Spring Decorating Home Tour

April 6, 2017 by Patti 65 Comments

What do you like most about Spring decorating? I like that it means the cold weather is behind us (fingers crossed) but I also love all the lovely muted colors of Spring. This is really the only time of year that I use peaches and pinks in my home decor, but I think I may need to use these colors more . . . without hubby noticing of course. 😉

My home has some other added color as I recently repainted every room on the main floor. I can’t wait to share it with you.

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Pumpkins, Roses, and Calgon, Take me Away.

September 22, 2016 by Patti 10 Comments

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist is the book I’m reading right now. This book is really causing me to take a step back and re-evaluate the busyness of my life. I am no longer working a full time job, we have no responsibility in our church right now, and I no longer have kids at home that keep me living crazy. My crazy comes all from pressure I put on myself to keep working toward getting everything on my to-do list done. But I never get it done and I never will get it done because I keep adding things to it. That’s simply the kind of person I am.

I have this voice inside my head that tells me that it is wrong to stop and rest when my hubby works such long and crazy hours (don’t worry it isn’t a real voice, just my thinking voice). It also warns me that if I stop and rest I might have to deal with some very unpleasant thoughts about very real problems. Though I don’t share everything about our lives and family here on the blog, we have one. And our family has it’s share of ups and down just like any other family does. However, this particular year has been a hard one. Stress, worry, fear, and heartbreak (You don’t need to tell me to cast my cares upon the Lord or to trust in Him alone because believe me, I find myself in a constant state of casting and trusting).

So I keep myself busy to keep from being overwhelmed . . . or so I tell myself. Click To Tweet

I’m in the process of re-evaluating. What are the things that are really important in my life and what things can be set aside? What are the things I’m doing that have to do with the calling on my life and what things am I doing out of a sense of obligation? What are the things that I do that will best serve God, my family, and my friends? And maybe me too because this might just start with taking better care of me!

I’ve been hesitant to take a blogging break because I’ve been to writer’s conferences where “they” say – those great and all-knowing experts on everything – that to draw back from regularly posting to your blog is certain death, and will diminish all those followers you’ve worked so hard to gain so that One Day, that fabulous book you’re writing will be the buzz among them and they will broadcast the word near and far making it the next best seller and making your name a household word!

Push, push, push, and don’t slow down. Post it, link it, Pin it, Tweet it, IG it, and turn around and do it all again.

It has been slow going as I write the book that I feel God has called me to write. I plug away whenever I can . . . whenever I don’t find myself swamped with all of the other things I feel obligated or simply driven to do.

But wait a minute. What about that verse I’ve clung to so often on this writing journey, “The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me,” from Psalm 138:8? I know I have to put the work into the writing but driving myself mad with the push for likes and follows? Not now. Not at this juncture in my life. Not when I have more important things to fight for. NO!

At the end of the day, whether my book is picked up by a publisher or self-published, whether it reaches thousand, tens of thousands, millions, or a couple dozen people, the message in my book will get into the hands of those it is meant to. Our Pastor asked a question last week that really hit the nail on the head for me, At life's end what will matter most, the number of likes you've gotten or the amount of love you've shown? Click To Tweet

So I’m taking a little break. I don’t know how long it will be but I need to take a little time for self love in the form of self care. Lord knows, I need it! My family needs it too. Even if I can’t be present with them they need my prayers. So I’m drawing away for a time to do the next right thing.

I already had a few posts planned so I will pop in from time to time with photos and maybe some news of what is happening in my world. You can also follow me on Instagram where I will be posting more often.

Be still and know that I am God.

I’m looking forward to it.

Blessings friends,

P.S. I hope you liked my French Country Pumpkins and Roses. Pretty things make me smile 🙂

Don’t forget to PIN me!

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,

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