Simple Beauty in a Picture~ Guest Post

Today's post was written by my younger sister Stephanie, who is very giving and a little sassy, happens to be my favorite coffee barista, and is the photographer extraordinaire behind Steph Zimmerman Photography. I'm so excited to share her thoughts with you today as part of my Why Make Beautiful Things Series!

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Beauty can be found in a simple photograph.  A photo not only captures a moment, but it is a constant reminder of the emotion that you felt in that moment.  The way your husband gazed at you on your wedding day. The photograph of that unforgettable family vacation.  A sweet moment captured of your little one.  It deserves to be preserved not on a CD, but on paper, to be shared with generations to come.

I've never received the compliment, "that photo looks great on that CD in your drawer!" Never.  Not once.  And I know that I never will.  I have, however, had guests in my home exclaim over the beauty of the family photos that are hanging on my walls.  One display in particular has received the most love.

This is a giant window frame that we displayed at our wedding.  I've never wanted to change out the photographs (after I added images from our own wedding to it).  The top row has photographs of our grandparents, the next row has photographs of our parents on their wedding days along with baby pictures of Steven and I, and the last row is of photographs from our wedding day. (Wedding photography credit to Seth Morris Photography)

I love it. Plain and simple.  All in one spot, we see the couples that have taught us about love and marriage, about being parents, about being faithful Christians, about life, about everything that matters.  There they are. Not on a CD that won't be able to be read by computers even in the near future. (Do you remember floppy discs? Me too, but when is the last time you used one?)  

On the other side of our living room I have a picture display rack (a thrift store steal).  I am so thankful that I found it, otherwise this wall would be held together by paint and putty only.  I constantly am changing these photos and this allows me to rearrange to my hearts content. New or used, its a great investment for your walls.

I have so many photos hung on our walls... they are what help to make our house a home. We're constantly surrounded by photographs of those we love and the memories we share with them.

The above frames hang in our bedroom.  The first image of Steven and I was taken shortly before our wedding ceremony. We were (and still are) so beyond happy to be with each other as husband and wife.  We were nervous, but didn't care because we were going to finally be wedded as one.  The last photo in that row is of my sisters and I line dancing at our wedding reception.  It makes me happy to remember in that moment, we were laughing hysterically at one another because we couldn't remember all of the steps. We struggled for a little bit, but eventually got it and danced to the rest of the song. Our wedding photographers nailed that moment perfectly.  The two photos in the middle were taken a few weeks after our first anniversary, and we had grown so much in those twelve short months.  I love them all. 

In our kitchen we have a couple of photos that I took of Steven and his dad during harvest two years ago.  Steven is a farmer, I come from a farm family, and we love agriculture.  The photos are anchored by a Zimmerman seed bag (random eBay find, no relation) and are the view from our kitchen table where we share meals together.

I've adorned my daughter's wall with images of us as a family and images of her as she grows.  I know she could care less right now. But I love them now. She will love them later.  And my grandchildren will probably love them even more.  

 Really... who wouldn't want a series of faces they they made as a baby? 

I have one canvas hung in our little hallway.  It is of Garden of the Gods in Colorado.  I think it is a lovely image; but to me, it's not just a pretty picture. I remember Steven and my brother-in-law, Luke, having a great conversation and enjoying one another on the balcony outside of the visitors' center.  Not all of your prints have to have people in them to remind you of your loved ones and those treasured memories.  

Having your pictures beautifully (or not so beautifully) organized on your computer is a lovely thing, but please print those photos.  With technology today, we take photos all the time but often never print them. We share photos on Facebook, in blogs, on Instgram, etc. and they are buried behind other posts the next day.  Be that person that prints the photos.  Hang them on the wall. Add them to an album.  Print them for your children. Print them for your grandchildren. Print them for you. Believe me, your family will love you for it.   We love to go through our family photos from previous generations.  It's a blessing to see those moments captured of our grandparents at a time when we did not know them.  It helps us to learn more about them and their time here on earth.  It helps us relate to them at a time they may have been the same age as we are now, in the same stage of life.  

I honestly wish I had a bigger house, a main reason being to have more wall space for more photographs.  The moments that are captured and printed on paper will always be treasured.  You won't always have (or in my case, fit) into the t-shirt you got on your 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C.  I do however, have the pictures (lacking in quality, as they may) of my friends and I touring the city and visiting the historical monuments. I was awkward and didn't know how to do my hair, but I still treasure those goofy photos.

As mom and photographer, I understand the importance of printing the photographs that I take. I hope that this little post has encouraged you to do the same for your friends and family.  Add some extra beauty to your home and life with beautiful photographs. Whether they are professional or a snapshot, please print them. I promise you won't regret it.  

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Steph's post is part of my Why Make Beautiful Things week.
-Read my thoughts on the seven reasons why making things beautiful matters here.
-Visit my Granny's Closet post to see pictures of the beautiful and fun vintage dresses (which used to belong to my Granny!) that I have been wearing this spring.
-Go read Emily's thoughts on hospitality, beauty, and home through the lens of being a military wife in her guest post Love is the Beauty of the Soul

-AND come back on Sunday, because I'll be hosting a special giveaway with seven beautiful items that I know you are going to love from Kayla Phillips Design, Steph Zimmerman Photography, and [un]common workbasket.  You don't want to miss it!

Love Is the Beauty of the Soul~ Guest Post

Today's post was written by my youngest sister Emily, who is lovely, talented, and generous, lives about 1000 miles too far away from me, and blogs too sporadically at The Only True Adventure. I'm so excited to share her thoughts with you today as part of my Why Make Beautiful Things series!

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Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. 

~St. Augustine

Beauty can be found everywhere, even in unexpected places.

I have found myself in many unexpected places over the course of the last couple of years. Marrying a military man will do that to the plans you have for your life.

Growing up on a farm, home was always a steady comfort. Farms can’t up and move one day to the next, and so I had the beautiful childhood most only dream of right in the same house that my parents brought me home to from the hospital. Fireflies in the summer, sledding in the winter. Familiar quirks of an over century-old farm house were wonderfully predicable (top stair on the 2^nd floor squeaks if you don’t want to wake dad up). Our house was always there to welcome me home when I returned.

When Luke and I got married, I knew that for the first time “home” was going to become a fluid term, and one that was certainly not on my terms. You know the old adage, “Home is where the heart is.” Well, we have our own – “Home is where the Army sends us.” Within the first ten months of marriage, I moved twice and Luke moved three times.  We have lived along the southwest edge of the Chattahoochee River in Georgia and now at the base of the Front Range Rockies in Colorado. Both very different, both beautiful in their own way.

For each new station, we have chosen to live on post in military quarters. Army housing is probably better than what you’d imagine it to be, but it’s a far cry from HGTV’s standards. White walls, tile floor, and a cookie-cutter layout make creativity a necessity if you don’t want to accidentally walk into your neighbor’s house and make yourself a cup of tea before you realize your mistake. For this reason, I have tried my best to make our house feel like “home,” even if it’s only home for a few short years. 

In bachelorhood, Luke had a bunk bed, hand-me-down desk, and a duffle bag worth of civilian clothes to his name. I’m pretty sure he thought I was crazy when I suggested that we needed more than a folding table for our dining room set, let alone hanging hand-painted creations on the walls. But with time and the patience that only newlyweds can hold for one another, we have arranged and rearranged, bought everything from couches to coffee cups, and drilled into drywall like we owned the place. Luke is actually more surprised when he comes home from a few weeks in the field if I haven’t moved furniture or hung something new. It’s an ever-developing process. 

Now, with my new home set up, I only had to sit back and wait for the friends to fill it. There have been times where that wait has been longer than others, but the friends I have made have always seemed to be worth the wait. I have met some amazing ladies and their families on this military adventure, who have taught me what true sacrifice, love, and compassion look like every day.

Before I became a military spouse, I always felt like home was where you could escape from the world (and spend the day in pajamas, of course). There are some days I still feel that way, but more and more, I am seeing how beautiful it is to open up your home to others.  When you bring someone into your home, it’s an invitation into your life, the sacred space you share with the ones you love most in the world. It is the literal doorway to new, intimate friendships. 

The friendships I have made within this community are unlike any other. If military spouses know one thing, it’s the need to reach out to others. All of us have been new in town before, and have needed to build life from the ground up, including our homes and friendships. When our parents and siblings are often times far away, we quite literally become family to one another– we trade babysitting for coffee dates, bring over dinner for when the day has been too long, and have each other on speed dial for good or bad news alike. Most of these relationships started with a simple invitation into our homes - to coffee, dinner, or for a plate of brownies in a gesture of welcome.  

Having a beautiful home does not always mean filling your walls with DIY projects or the latest magazine trends. I’ve found there is a lot of beauty in having friendships where the sink full of dishes and baskets of laundry on the couch don’t hinder inviting people over. Never be afraid to bring someone into your “mess” – it’s your life! When I feel like my house is too messy for company, I always remind myself that if I dropped by to see a friend in her home, I wouldn’t care if the floors had been swept or not. I’m just happy she’s hosting me! Hospitality comes in many forms, and is always a true gift we can give to one another.

Creating a home that is warm and welcoming is an attitude of the heart. Our physical homes are merely the manifestations of the hospitality that first starts within us. Through my journey as a newlywed military wife, I have redefined what home means to me. From that experience, I know that the beauty of hospitality that I see in others and the beauty I want them to see in me should be rooted not in location, but in love.

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Emily's post is part of my Why Make Beautiful Things week.
-Read my thoughts on the seven reasons why making things beautiful matters here.
-Visit this post to see pictures of the beautiful and fun vintage dresses (which used to belong to my Granny!) that I have been wearing this spring.
-Friday, Steph will write about the importance of taking, printing, and displaying beautiful family photos.
-AND on Sunday, I'll be hosting a special giveaway with seven beautiful items that I know you are going to love from Kayla Phillips Design, Steph Zimmerman Photography, and [un]common workbasket.  You don't want to miss it!

Granny's Closet

When given a choice, I very nearly always pick old over new-- used, loved, and classic over shiny and trendy.  My apartment is filled with antiques and thrift store treasures.  The absolute best books I read as a child were those written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and I still gravitate towards historical books, movies, and TV shows.

I routinely use vintage fabric or repurposed antique tablecloths, curtains, etc. to make new things like aprons and purses.  I don't blog about it much, but you can see one example in this post, or you can visit this page to see more.

Twice in the past two days two different people joked that maybe I was born in the wrong era.   I don't doubt God's providence, but it is fun to romanticize and look for the best of past decades.  I do think that sometimes in the simplicity of the past, we can look back and see the beauty that has endured over time.

So, it probably comes as no surprise that I am acquiring a vintage clothing collection. :)  My grandmother passed away earlier this year.  She was 92, and left a legacy of children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.  As the family has worked to clean out her home and share belongings amongst her descendants, they found a stash of old clothing in the back of her closet, dresses and coats, many of which she had sewn herself.  My mom brought a bunch of them home, and awesomely, we discovered that many of them fit me!



Wearing vintage clothes isn't quite as simple as picking up something new off of the rack.  Here are a few things that I have learned:

1. Cleaning vintage clothing or fabric can be interesting.  Stains can be set in, and often times there is a strong, stale, old fabric smell that is hard to shake.  I washed the clothes on gentle settings with cold water.  Sometimes, I let them soak for a while, and I almost always ran them through the washing machine twice.  I also always air-dry everything.  This prevents further damage to possibly weak or stained fabric.

2. I also had to repair some of the clothing.  Sometimes a seam needed to be sewn where thread had rotted away, zippers needed reinforced, or buttons needed replaced.   I also tried to creatively cover up some...problems.  I tried to fix a white coat that was completely discolored by dyeing it tan, and unfortunately it didn't take the dye evenly.  However, I was able to fix this navy blue dress with some dye and a little bit of...white paint.  I literally painted some of the polka dots- but it worked!

3. Wear it!  The best fashion advice I've ever received is to find what you like and wear it with confidence.  There was clothing that I could have taken but it wasn't my style and I knew that I wouldn't be comfortable in.  I wear a lot of skirts and dresses, and the dresses I have usually fall into the 1950's high waist, full skirt variety.  Going through the clothes from my Granny's, I picked out things that I liked and knew that I would wear. 

4. And finally, accessories.  Sometimes, you can take vintage clothes and wear them with a modern twist.  Other times it is really fun to match up the clothes with retro accents like these fabulous shoes that I got here or an antique clutch purse.  Like dress up, only better. :)

So, I've worn these dresses to work, and to church, and to a wedding.  I love them, love that they help me remember my granny, and love the story they tell.

Would you like to see more of the clothing :)?  I am not a huge fan of having my picture taken, but I did want to have some photos of these dresses.  And I have a sister who is an awesome photographer.  She has been insisting that I get updated headshots.  And my brother-in-law and my friend Kayla wanted to practice some of their photography skills with someone who would stand still and pose as long as they needed.  So the four of us met up in downtown Peoria and took some very fun pictures.

And, for the record, this was my view for the afternoon:

Me, vintage dresses, an antique suitcase, downtown city, and three photographers.  It's no wonder we got some funny looks!

Want to see more of the pictures? You can see Steph's post and the rest of the photos here.

What do you think of vintage clothes?  Any favorite tips for pulling off styles from another era?

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This post is part of my Why Make Beautiful Things week.  You can read my original post here.
-Wednesday, come back for Emily's story about the beauty of homemaking and hospitality in military family life.
-Friday, Steph will write about the importance of taking, printing, and displaying beautiful family photos.
-AND on Sunday, I'll be hosting a special giveaway with seven beautiful items that I know you are going to love from Kayla Phillips Design, Steph Zimmerman Photography, and [un]common workbasket.  You don't want to miss it!

Gold Ruffle Banner: A How-To

Over the past few years, I have made lots of banners for various weddings, showers, and other parties.  I quite enjoy them and thought I'd share a few tips about how I make my current favorite banner, which is topped by a gold tissue paper ruffle.

But first, a few overall tips for making a paper banner that will look good and hold up:
1. Use heavy cardstock.  Paper will be flimsy, potentially curl in humidity, and not look good for as long.
2. Attach the banner to thick ribbon or heavy string for strength, not necessarily looks.  You can always add a prettier layer over top of the strong one.
3. To attach the banner pieces to the ribbon or string, I recommend sewing, staples, or tying knots- no tape or adhesives.  Sewing is my favorite route.  It looks nice, is fairly fast, and is strong.  I also really like to use a stapler to attach the paper and the ribbon.  I like the look, speed, and strength.  My least favorite option is punching holes in the banner pieces and then tying knots in the strings one by one.  This is by far the most time consuming way to hold it all together, but can be a cool look.
4. Plan for the final length of the banner you desire, and take the time to do the math to find out how that corresponds to the individual banner pieces and spacing.  The extra multiplication and division is worth it instead of having a banner that is too long or too short for the purpose.
5. You will probably need more ribbon or string than you think.  Remember to leave some good tails on the ends for tying purposes.

So, here are some general steps for one of the latest ruffle banners I made.  It was for my sister, and she wanted it to say "Blessed."  I planned out seven letters and wanted it to be about four feet in length.

-Cut 8 1/2x 11" brown kraft paper cardstock in half horizontally.  Each of these will be one pennant. (size 5 1/2 x 8 1/2")

-Create a template for the bottom part of the pennant.  Trace and cut each individual piece for the banner.

-I then cut a slightly larger piece of black cardstock to go behind the brown.  I used 12x12" paper, making a perfect 6x12" piece to fit.

-Next I mapped out the letters.  Without thinking too much about it, I drew using a black marker large cursive letters with tails touching the sides.

-I then used the marker to make all of the vertical lines in the letters gradually thicker.  I left the horizontal lines alone.

-I filled in and blended the new shape to create this pretty script for each of the letters.

-I then inked the sides of the brown cardstock to give it some depth.

-And attached it to the black cardstock with double sided tape.  There was intentionally a couple of extra inches at the top for the ribbon and ruffle.   I trimmed it later once I saw how thick everything would be.

-Next I used my sewing machine and black thread to stitch 1/4" all the way around the brown paper, not only securely holding everything together, but also adding a neat detail.

-The next step was to actually connect the banner pieces together.  I only needed something to hold it that would later be covered by the ruffle, so I used this 1/4" white ribbon.  Pay careful attention to the spacing between letters.  It can be tiny or a little more, as long as you are consistent.  Only leave big gaps if you are trying to create spaces between separate words.

-Then cut the paper for the ruffles.  This is regular gold tissue paper from the wrapping aisle.  I fold it so that it will fit in my paper cutter and create 1" strips, cutting multiple layers at a time to prevent tearing.

-I pre fold a couple of pleats and then set the gold strip directly over the ribbon that I just used to sew the banner together.  Keeping that centered will mean that I am sewing the gold paper to the flexible ribbon that will give it support.  As I slowly sew, I gently pleat the paper and feed it under the presser foot. It doesn't take long to find a speed and a rhythm that allows you to sew without stopping.

-When I got to the end of a strip of gold paper, I simply pre folded a pleat and stuck it under the end of the first.  You keep sewing and can't even tell where one ends and another begins.

-Here's what the final ruffle looks like.  Don't go for perfection, because it won't show at a distance anyways.

Here's the final banner hung in my room before I sent it off to Emily.

And here it is hung up all the way in Colorado among Emily's other pretty things in her entryway:

A very similar banner was made for my dear friend Betsy's birthday this winter.  Her banner said "Be Blessed."  I know, bossy, but think of it as a birthday wish.

Another dear friend Kayla made this awesome tissue paper banner as well.  Love it!

Here we are, Katie, Kayla, Karla, and Betsy, using Karla's new selfie stick :).

And a final note about that party: Betsy made these gorgeous, detailed, time consuming, book page snowflakes.  As favors for her guests.  I love these girls.

And this last banner doesn't have a ruffle, but I love it as well.  This was a Valentine's banner made for Bonnie's mantle.  It was similar, but used triangles instead of pennants and cute chevron ribbon holding it all together. Oh, and the letters are on pages from an old hymnal, which is a fun detail.

I'll unearth a few more banner ideas from parties past and post in the coming weeks!