What's up, Doc?

So.. I am still alive... I have been semi-busy with my costume for the historic ball next year. But then I have also been busy repairing an old uniform coat of my late granddad's. Navy, if you're interested. Chief Petty Officer, too :) I think gunner. USS Little Rock. :D There ya go.. look the ship up and you'll know a bit about his Mediterranean cruise.

Really, I can't think of anything else except I've been practicing singing a lot lately. Going to start my "Christmas Tour" to retirement homes hopefully next week :) My brother and I are going to be singing some oldies dressed up old school style! :D

That's all, folks!

Love you!
Ruth

Epic Gift/ Stays Completed

Before I begin today's program, I would like for you to join me in a moment of silence for a dearly departed. This good friend of mine left us while I was working on the eyelets of my stays. It was very hard to go on knowing they would not be there, and a little confusing knowing what direction to surge ahead in. I miss my embroidery needle very much.

Okay, now that the solemnities are over with... let us all let out a huge scream because... I AM DONE MY STAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hehehe so now on to the pictures shall we? :D

here we have it folded in half :) ALL that extra lacing is extremely necessary for slipping it over my head and shoulders :O

The lacing in the back :)

lacing hanging over the front

Then we went for some artsy pictures :D ;) I have never done these before so don't kill me if you're like... whaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!?!

Bottom edge binding

Top edge  binding

Lacing :)

Laces along with the lining

seam in the lining

And one more artsy one of the laces

What do you think? :) Let me know! :D

Love,
Ruth

Epic Gift/ Good Start?

So... the first part of my Epic Gift series which shall run until I have all my 1700's underthings made up :D I have completely sewn my fashion fabric and interfacing together. Now I am working on the boning :D

Inside of the channels :D

Another shot of the inside :D

Here is the outside of the stays... you can see the deep channels (I love it!)

Here is before I had gotten so far :) 

One half smooth and the other channeled

One half smooth and the other channeled! :D

I love these stays already! I can feel how comfy they're going to be! (and they're already giving me a 1700's shape! I'm soooo excited!)  This was such an awesome gift! ALL the materials! YAY haha

So there's an update ;)

Love,
Ruth

New Project

For sure this time!!! WOOPEEEE!!!!!!!! HURRAY (that's an English phrase btw so call me tory if you want :D) I have just received in the mail... for my sixteenth birthday, supplies from Theresa and Bascha and Caroline and Ann Marie, for making all the rev war undergarments I will need for the Homeschool Historical Ball in Charlotte next April! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

stuffing for bum rolls.. THE PATTERN FOR THE STAYS

Linen for bum rolls and look at that beautiful blue for my stays! :D

And two sweet cards they sent! They brought tears into my mom's eyes... literally! You girls are so wonderful! I LOVE YOU!

This is so awesome because... I got everything I need for the underthings for free! :D You girls are soooo sweet! I am soo blessed to know you!  I love all four of you! (HUGS)

So, readers, you will be having some posts soon (hopefully haha) I shall watch epic movies (Anne of Green Gables probably) and sew away :D

Love,

Ruth

New Blog

Hey, folks, I've started a new blog to contain my ramblings.... Ruth's Random Ramblings

I will be copying the random posts I did on hear and putting them on my new blog (but I will leave them up on here, too) I hope you have fun over at the new site and continue checking this one too! Because I should have some projects coming along soon... just got a gift card for Hancock's Fabric for my Birthday (yeah yeah, a week early :P )

Love!
Ruth

Music

If you will recall, sometime ago, I made a post entitled Books wherein I recommended a few books that I love. Well, this is sort of in the same series thingy! :) It's Music. (but you already knew that right?)

So, all I listen to right now is folkish and vintage (read 40's type) and Christian music. Mostly the latter. So here are my absolute favourite Christian bands! (Pretty much any Scottish or Irish songs I like.. and lots of '40's... I don't really have favourites of those)

There is:

Tenth Avenue North
Tobymac
Matt Redman
For King and Country
Hillsong (all their bands)
Sanctus Real
Newsboys (some of their songs)
Kutless
LeCrae (don't say it!)
Colton Dixon (love his different voice!)
Francesca Batistelli
David Dunn
Matt Hammitt
Steven Curtis Chapman
The Afters
Young and Free (which I think is part of Hillsong)
Mandisa

Alright, I know you are all thinking.. "Did she just list every Christian singer out there?" (By the way, those were not listed in favourite, but if they were, Tenth Avenue North would still be at the top) Now for a list of my favourite songs from these folks :D

Tenth Avenue North: By Your Side (if I'm forced to chose, but I love them all about the same)
Tobymac: Favourite Song
Matt Redman: Mercy
For King and Country: Fix My Eyes:
Hillsong: I don't know cause I listed all their bands :P
Sanctus Real: Forgiven
Newsboys: We Believe
Kutless: What Faith Can Do
LeCrae: ummmmm don't know! lol
Colton Dixon: More of You
Francesca Batistelli: He Knows My Name
David Dunn: Today Is Beautiful
Matt Hammitt: All My Love
Steven Curtis Chapman: I think it's a tie between "Cinderella" and "Glorious Unfolding"
The Afters: Broken Hallelujah
Young and Free: Alive
Mandisa: Overcomer

There we go! (whew) those were hard! haha Yeah, just a random post because I felt like I hadn't posted in a while (I know I just posted, but I hadn't posted a real ton recently sooo)

Hope you guys look these people up and their songs (which I love!) and have a great Labor Day!

Love,
Ruth

Hi Again

Wow has it been a while since I last posted! I have grand news for all of my sewing pals... I have contrived to make myself a corset and it works! (no pattern.. cut my own (wooden!) boning, which I know is not period correct..) and this corset works for 1860-1880 :D I am so pleased... So right now.. I have pictures of myself in my Civil War clothing that I hadn't been able to have fun with because of my lack of a corset!

Do forgive the overly thick waist.. I had to double my coat's belt over due to it having been made for a much heavier lady!

Yes, I realize the skirt is rather short for my age now :(

A bird's nest!

I thought this was a pretty pose :)

The wind was very cooperative :D

I like how I did my hair (it looked very Civil War)

I feel like I've seen this pose in a painting before (chuckle)

And I'm picking up pecans.

So there you have it! I hope you are happy to hear from me again! :) Thanks for stopping in!

Ruth

Liebster Blog Award

Well, isn't this fun?! (Yup, Baroness Schraeder from The Sound of Music) I'm absolutely terrified now that I got awarded the Liebster Award! I had always been slightly envious of people that got it, but now I am reeeaally like.. .Ummm what do I do?! lol So first off: Thank you Bascha and Theresa over at Two Teen Seamstresses for nominating me! I am honoured! lol

To get things going now, I was asked to state ten facts about myself... Okay... Be ready for some weird ones! haha

1. I'm a Christian (I know... you REALLY didn't expect that :P)
2. I love old western movies and songs
3. I play guitar (I don't know if anyone knew this)
4. I like swimming :)
5. I love talking and chilling with friends!
6. I like to read
7. I can be really strict (some of my friends tell me I'm on mom mode! hehe)
8. My favourite people are a lot older than me...
9. I often am someone's friend, but they're not really mine, if you know what I mean! lol It's funny how I can consider myself someone's friend and they tell their friends, "no I know her but we're not friends" hehehe
10. Well.. ummm I'll make this a random fact about myself... I used a pacifier until I was six... I know, don't say it! lol

Now that I've made those very random statements.... I shall go on to the direct questions asked :)

1. At what time of day do you usually find yourself wanting to sew? Or what time of day do you like to sew?

Well, this is really lazy, but usually in the afternoon (when it's my math class!) However, I got the sewing bug briefly during the summer this year :P

2. What is your next sewing project?

Ummm.. probably finishing a quilt my dad had started years ago (I know, very random) or altering something I get at the thrift store .. Unfortunately, I haven't the time or resources to get back into sewing as I had hoped to :( But, I am doing a lot of cool stuff this year so I'm still happy!

3.What is your biggest frustration when you sew clothing?

Probably hems... I hate curved hems like I don't know what! lol

4. What has been the biggest sewing lesson you learned?

Hmmm... Probably to baste things together before you go all in with a sturdy seam. Also make sure you try it on LOTS while you're in the making process :)

5. What is your favorite resource or method for researching period costuming?

This is really two questions girls! lol Ummm my favorite resource is originals (CDVs and actual garments). My favorite method is probably the internet as I don't have any nearby displays or anything soo...

6. Who do you look up to the most in the costuming world? (aka favorite blogger, seamstress you know, Elizabeth Clark, etc.)

Probably Samantha Bullat (I'm ashamed to admit, I don't know her new last name! haha) And Atlanta Shannon. They are two VERY talented girls!

7. What was the first thing you sewed? Do you have a photo you could share?

Well, I remember what I sewed, but I'm afraid I don't have any pictures. It was a rag doll I had. When I was five, my mom let me sew her arms and legs on when they came off! If you're referring to clothing, then it was this TERRIBLE skirt I made.. (I wish I had a picture of it with the matching jacket...)

Yeah, my hair was pretty short and I had bangs..... This was an attempt at 1860's I'm not sure how many years ago! I think three? hehehe

8. Do you ever plan on taking sewing or patterning classes?

No idea. Perhaps, but I really don't think so! I think my sewing is pretty much turning into, "sewing on buttons that came off, fixing a neckline, repairing a ripped crotch" that sort of stuff :)

9. Would you ever sew modern clothing?

A whole outfit? A whole shirt? Maybe! hehe But I get stuff so cheap at the thrift store anyhow, I really don't know. Now if you mean altering something then yes! I already have (messed with a swimsuit but alas it didn't work anyhow).

10. Where do you see yourself, five years in the future, in regards to costuming?

 Probably doing it here and there to attend stuff with friends. (Yes, Bascha and Theresa, I am soo planning on next year's historic ball already! hehe) And perhaps next year for Westville in GA. But I really couldn't say. Right now I have no clue what the next five years holds!

Whew! I got through it okay! haha!

I would nominate Samantha Bullat... Over at The Couture Courtesan But I'm not sure if I can since she's live journal... go ahead and check her out anyhow! :)

So I'm going to nominate Brooke Whitaker from Stitches Of The Past
Along with Tara from A Lass of Yesteryear Wow is some of her stuff cool!


So, please state ten things about yourself, and answer the following ten questions!

1. How did you get into sewing?
2. A random fact
3. Where do you sew?
4. Would you consider sewing for a career?
5. Do you play an instrument?
6. What is your favourite costume you have ever made (Please share a picture if you have one!)
7. What was your first costume? (Please share a picture if you have one!)
8. How do I tell you you have been nominated?! just kidding!
8. Do you see yourself continuing to sew for many moons to come? :)
9. Who is your favourite author?
10. What is your favourite book?

There we go! I guess that wraps it up!

I hope to be posting something a bit more interesting in the near future!

Love you guys and thanks for having a look!

Ruth

Happy Independence Day!

Hey everybody! Happy Independence Day! Yup, that's all! hehehe Except to announce that I am trying to get back into sewing, so I hope to have updates soon! :) Enjoy our awesome freedom today, and don't forget how you got it, and how it's defended!

Love,
Ruth

Goats...Goats...Goats...GOATS!

Well, I promised a post on the goats and doggie, right???? I'm not doing this when I don't have to am I?!

So this will be mostly a picture post with a few little details about the babies  :D

Here is baby Tucson (or however that's spelt) He is actually pretty big...

This guy has been my buddy for a while! LOL though he has now graduated from "little-baby-goat-that-likes-to-jump-in-my-lap-while-I'm-writing" into "big-greedy-buckling-that-wants-his-milk-NOW"

So in the back drinking is Valentine Sonnet.. I didn't get a very good picture of her... Her and her sister Serenade are Tucson's best pals :)

Here is Serenade.. She and Valentine look nothing alike! 

Tucson hamming it up LOL

He thinks he's just too cool! :D

Fi-Fi (the big one), Galaxy (the black one I named!) and Heavenly Hash (named her too!)

Here's a pretty good picture of Valentine... see her little white heart with the grey shine?? and that's Polly behind her

Trixie and her two babies :)

So there are the goats... now for some pictures of the doggie :D

Here is Pasha.. he's tied up right now, but he loves to run around! He can actually run around the two trees, while he's tied up, too!

He had just jumped onto me! lol He likes to do that when he can....

So that's the animals! Most of them anyhow, some of the goats I didn't get pictures of... We have sixteen in all! :O

That's all (probably for a while!)

Until I see you again,

My babies and I bid you "adieu"

Serenade

Valentine Sonnet

The Tucson Kid

Me and Pasha

Revelation Study

So I'm pretty sure I promised everyone a few little things I noticed about Revelation while I was reading it through... I did right? lol

So to start off, our pastor said he wanted us to read Revelation through three times without looking at anyone's commentary.. just reading it straight from the Bible. After each time we read it, we were told to write a paragraph about what we noticed the most etc... So I will type up my paragraphs and give them with their numbers beside them...

1. What struck me most reading through the first time, was God's anger toward sin. The passages where His anger are poured out are really intense. Also, the ultimate power of Christ as the Lamb. No one else "in heaven or in earth" could open the seals on the document God held. Mostly, the majesty of God and His heaven and His power and glory are what I noticed.

2. On my second time through, I noticed a lot of parallels (they will be listed after the paragraphs..) Mostly the usage of 1260 days (which is the same as 42 months). The symbolism also was a lot more noticeable. It is still difficult to figure out what is symbollic and what isn't, but it's getting easier.

3. I was reading through for the third time, and I realized that a lot of the imagery of like, Kings and such doesn't necessarily refer to actual kingdoms and kings. It's more a grouping of the enemies of God. The imagery is really strong. John wants us to see what he saw and to hear it like he did. The book is definitely organized. Some things that are going to occur at the same time are not all mentioned in the same passages, but you can look and compaare and put a lot together that isn't in the same passage. It really shows how great God's power is and how much He hates sin. It also shows His mercy. When the spirits are crying from under the altar, God says to wait, "until the number of their brethren who would be killed as they were was completed." So really, it's as if He were waiting for more people to accept Him (and be martyred for their faith) Also, when I read what's going to happen to His enemies, I really realize how awesomely merciful He was in saving me. Why me? Just because He wanted to. So it really shows both "sides" of God as it were.

Okay so there are my paragraphs. Now some parallels I noticed (which you can look up) are these:

The times in all these verse are all the same length...

Revelation 11:3, 11:2, 12:6, 13:5

And the number of people standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion is the same as the number of Jewish people sealed (Rev. 14:1 and I can't remember when they're sealed!)

Okay, so other than that, the only other thing I really noticed, was that the plagues when the angels pour out their bowls on the earth are seven of the plagues that plagued Egypt when Israel was going to leave. The only ones not given to the earth are the death of the firstborn, the lice, and the flies. Hail, Fire, Sores, Water to blood (a big amount and then wells and springs in both cases which counts as two separate acts), and then Frogs.. which I find interesting because no, there is not a direct plague of frogs in Revelation, the angel pours out his bowl and the river Euphrates is dried up and three unclean spirits (like frogs) come... so I thought that was really cool. I didn't write this note down yet, so I don't have the references, but if you have a Bible that gives you subjects, then you can find it pretty easily.

So that's all folks! :D Thought it was pretty cool, and it really is a good idea to read through the book a few times, you understand it better each time! :D

Love,
Ruth

Books....

So, I just finished this (in my opinion) REALLY good book by Lisa Beamer called "Let's Roll". It's about her and her husband (Todd Beamer)'s life together before 9-11 and then her life with their kids afterward. I thought it was a really cool book, showed their faith in God, and was really pretty encouraging to read.

Okay so that's not the only book I'm recommending today.. (hehehe) I also LOOOVE the book "Little Princes" by Connor Grennan. It's a book about this college dude (yes another true story) who decides hes gonna go on a trip around the world having fun. But he wants to justify this whirl of fun so he decides to do three months of helping care for these orphans in Nepal. So the story chronicles his work in Nepal and it's really cool, I'd tell you more except it might ruin the story! I really love it though, and if you have some time you should totally read it :D This one is also encouraging to read, it shows how he came to Christ etc.

So then I have a few 1910's books I love (hehehe) There's a series "Dick Prescott & Co." by H. Irving Hancock which I am reading right now.. They are really fun! and then there is "For the Right" by I can't remember who LOL but that's the title so you can look it up on gutenberg.org

Now I'm going to make a promise that way I HAVE to do it... I am going to put a post up of pictures of our goats and dog and the horse... by.... next week! :D (giving myself that much time because.. well... it's supposed to rain.. and who knows when I'll get around to taking pictures and.. hehe)

So in the meantime, I'll probably do a post about a cool Bible study I'm in the middle of on Revelation, I'll try to find links to my pastor's sermons to post for you (because it is just TOOO cool!)

Until I post again...

Love,
Ruth

Miraculous Mom!

Well, to me, moms are pretty awesome! lol Especially when they insist that I don't get them a Mother's Day gift! HAHAHA (just kidding, I tried to get her one but I didn't get to go to the store.. so...)

My mom is awesome! She always wants me to do what God would want me to, she always encourages me in my hobbies, she always pays for my hobbies, she always tells me she loves me, she always takes care of me when I'm sick, she always prays for me, she always talks to me when I need to talk...

She also seems to be able to clean my room faster than me  Sorry about that.. lol that was supposed to read "She also seems to be able to clean my room".......................... Yup, she's miraculous! LOL

Soo... that being said, I think my mom is pretty awesome! She didn't get a Mother's Day gift, so I thought I would post this just to let all my friends (and any random readers) know how awesome my mom is! :D I love her!

Love,
Ruth

Homeschool Ball Part 3 (Stories)

So... I have given you picture posts :D Now you shall have some stories... I don't have many but I will try to describe how fun the dance was and how I enjoyed seeing my friends. So I think that summed it up pretty good eh? LOL

But of course, I could never bring myself to write such a SHORT post! :D (I'm sure everyone has noticed how I like to gab ;) )

So... We arrived at the building about thirty minutes early. My mom, not being dressed up or feeling like partaking in the activities, volunteered to help in the kitchen and serving (GREAT MOM! LOL she enjoyed every minute of it!) Meanwhile, I went to the ladies' room to freshen up some *ahem*

After chatting with some random people in the ladies' room... I was ferociously set upon by four very lovely girls... Theresa, Bascha, Anne Marie, and Caroline! lol After subduing me, they immediately dragged me outside to take pictures (after forcing me into a pair of pink leggings which were cut off above the knee)

So out into the cruel elements I was dragged (Temperature was an icy 66 degrees farenheit and there was a harsh wind...) *chuckling* most of the pictures we took have been posted so.. this will probably be a no pictures post! :D The four violent ladies forced me up onto a dangerous scattering of rocks and pebbles that were a part of our crude surroundings...

A PICTURE! lol

Notice the nervous smile they forced upon me *hehehe* After having several single shots (I believe they wanted to keep photo records of me on file ROFL) I was "persuaded" to participate in group shots...

The leggings which had been forced upon me by my vicious attackers (chuckle) Attackers and myself from left to right.. Me, Anne Marie, Bascha, Theresa, and Caroline! 

The pictures were soon taken... including some of the boys, I was taken back within the stronghold (rofl) (by the way, Bascha, I need the pictures your mom took of us with the boys)

We returned to the innermost parts of the gloomy castle...

As you can see the light was ridiculously lacking...

There I was forced to dance with various members of my attackers... I believe the first dance was danced with a fellow prisoner actually... Ah yes, my sister Chrissy

Before our surprising capture hehehe

After which I was forced to dance with one of my attackers' brothers... The right honourable Abraham Jacques... He came up and asked politely enough.. but his sister must have decided I would have said "no" judging by the narrow looks she gave  from his shoulder...

I don't think Bascha was anywhere near... but anyhow

So the dance was enjoyed.. We swung VERY fast around and around so that was funny :D (and I got my foot stepped on.. I always thought that wasn't "for real" about boys stepping on girls' toes..)

Next I believe I danced with four strangers and my captor that went by the alias of Theresa. She was dressed in a fine silk (I think it was a polyester replica actually) gown...

Notice the interesting mink stole... 

The dance was very interesting as we had to do several moves with a little girl which added to the difficulty of the formations... but quick glances from my captors kept my complaints within my own self (ROFL)

After this dance, I hurriedly asked someone for the next dance before my captors could compel me to dance with someone of their own choosing... I actually do not have a picture of my random dance partner... all I know of him was his name was Jason.. and he knew where my hometown was! ROFL That dance was very fun as we both were having a hard time figuring how to do the formations.

I remember very little of the rest of the party. I must have been far too tired! But here is a picture of the last dance.. which I danced with a new friend of mine Sarah :)

Did I forget to mention that my wide feet broke my pumps?? and that I had to remove my shoes! Which ended up for the better.. this happens to be me and Sarah.

The X formation from above :)

Overall it was one of the most fun nights of my life! I really enjoyed hanging out with people I knew and meeting new people! Everyone was really fun and sociable!

And by the way... the above story was highly dramatized not to mention fictionalized and extremely made up! Other than the actual facts (People I danced with order of things and what we did) it is like.. so unrealistic! lol I had tons of fun doing everything the girls asked me! :D I love you girls! ♥♥♥

Love,
Ruth