Making a Tab Top Valance

I hope ya'll don't mind a sewing lesson.  I wanted to share with you how I make my tab top valances.  I have made 3 of them in the last couple days.  I had first made my panels.  You could make some or you could use some panels that you purcased at the fabric store, like to make pillows or such.  What would be really neat is if  you wanted to use T-shirts with neat slogans or words.  Would make a cute one for a teens room.  Mine are some that have the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount.  We have decided we want to have scripture in our decor.  I hope you enjoy this.  If you have problems following along please let me know.

Mrs. Sibyl.

Here are the panels I made along with the fabric I have chosen.  The window I am using this with is 36 inches wide.  So my valance is just a bit wider than that.  I have made strips of fabric that are 3 1/2 inches wide.  I will be sewing them to the sides of each of the panels.

I use a rotary cutter, mat, and 24 inch ruler.  If you do not have these that is fine, you can always use scissors.  When I do use my scissors, I usually will mark on the back of the fabric with a pencil for the cutting line.

I will line up the panels to the strips of fabric.  I will sew as many panels as I can get on the strip of fabric with a bit of fabric between each panel so I can cut it.

I have taken this to my sewing machine and sewn the panels to the strips.

Here they are shown with the pieces sewn together.

I have cut the panels apart all of the strips are to the left of the panels. 

I will now place 2 of the panels with strips together so to make them wider.

Here is a picture showing them pinned together.

Here is a picture of 5 of them sewn together

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Next because I did not want a wide margin between the panels, yet wanted them to look nice.  I sewed the panels together. 

What I did was pull the fabric strip toward the center.

The back of the panels sewn together.

And I pressed them flat to make the strips nice and neat.

I took a 3 1/2 inch strip of fabric to sew between the 2 rows of panels.

After it was sewn to one strip of panels, the hardest part to line up the panels so they are even.

Here you see I am checking to make sure they line up.

Here ya go all lined  up.

Making those tabs.  I took the 3 1/2 inch strips.  Made enough for my tabs.

Fold them in half, with the right side facing inward.

Here it is sewn, I put  my seam down the middle, so it won't be seen.

I have this handy dandy tool it is so neat you can turn those tab tubes so easily.

I just slip the plastic tube in side my fabric tube.

Here i just push the wooden stick into the fabric tube.

Viola' It's turned in just a few seconds.  Of course if you don't have this--no problem.

  I used to use an unsharpened pencil, and would push the fabric tube over it and turn it.

Here are the tab top tubes (say that 3 times fast).  Ironed and ready to cut.

I cut these into 8 inch pieces. and I needed 6 pieces.

What I did was fold them in half, so they are 4 inches long now.

If you look closely, I placed a tab at each intersection.

You can see the yellow balls on the straight pins.

The backing fabric.

Make sure it is longer than your front, and at least 6 inches wider.

I then cut it in half from top to bottom.

I then fold each half up an inch, and then and inch again.

Do this for both sides.

Sew the two pieces on those folds.  Then you will place the 2 pieces of fabric over lapping as shown.

Now I'm putting the front and back together.  Now here is where I made a big mistake on my first one..  Make sure you put the two sides that you want out facing each other right now.

Because I wanted extra body in my valance.I added some fleece (not the popular polar fleece) inbetween my front and back. 

 I will be able to quilt it if I so desire to.

Now here is why I overlapped the back.  I was able to just go inside that opening, and pull it to the outside.  Now I don't have to do any handwork.

I do not like using needle and thread and do it by hand.  I love sewing but with a machine only.

Here is the final product.  Hope ya'll like it.  I will be putting it on my  windows next week when I finish my living room.

The Front Door

My husband had made a comment that we needed to paint the ceilings as they have not been painted in some time--yea some time like 28 years.  The lst time the ceilings had been painted was when he moved into our home 28 years ago this past August.  He told me he had taken off a week from work and painted the interior of the house.  I have painted the walls  over the years a few times, but never tackled the ceilings.  So we made the decision it was time to work on it---so that ment that I would go and paint it.  I asked him if I could paint the entry hall at the same time.  I wanted it to be purple as it was my favorite color.  He told me to go for it---Sarah on the other hand could not understand why momma would want a purple room.  Her favorite color is blue---and her room is painted as such.  Well he told me go ahead do what I wanted to do.  Yippee--he also said if we didn't like it---we could always paint it over.  So I wanted to show you the transformation of my entry way.  Now my inspiration for the color is a nice Bible I have.  It is a very rich plum color

I always thought this was such a pretty color.

So Sarah and I went to the paint store to choose a color out.  We took our Bible with us and chose a paint chip.  Then we saw the color computer.  So I decided I would check it out and see what color it recommended.  Lo and behold it chose the same color I had already choosen.  Boy I must be as good as that color computer and I don't have a very good decor eye.

The color we chose was by Behr called Interlude.  Kinda sounds like a melody doesn't it?

So the task at hand is to fill up any nail holes and imperfections in the wall to get it ready for painting.  Here are a couple pictures of the entry way prior to it getting it's face lift.

What you are looking at is the front door,

This is right next to te front door.This is a new piece I received this week from Freecycle it is a nice Oak and Glass hutch.  But it just doesn't fit here.  It was much to deep for this spot so it is moving.  It is a neat piece but just not for here.

This is a nice desk I picked up off of Craigslist I think I paid $20.00 for it You will see a better picture of it later.  The mirror is from a dresser of my mother n love's it actually came from her mother n love so it is a family treasure.

I know ya'll are waiting in anticipation for what it is going to look like.  Let me tell you I am so sore as to going up and down off of that ladder for the last 2 days.  That is a total work out.  Plus havig paint drips all over me.  I had a french manicure one day as I had white paint under my nails looked just like those expensive jobs.  Ok enough is enough let me show you what I did.

I painted 3 louvered doors.  I am so glad I don't have any more of those things   They are booger bears.

I changed out that little oakd and glass hutch, and put in a nice tall book case.  I am going to be adding pretties to it as I find them.  This little carnival glass is a fruit compote I picked up at the thrift store last week.  I paid like $3.50 for it.  I went onto e-bay and found it as expensively as $200.00 Oh  how I love finding bargains.  When we were looking at it someone else had it, but I told David oh how I would love to have that as I have some of your momma's glasses and pitcher made out of that same stuff and it would be neat to have.  Well there again the person put it down, I couldn't get over there fast enough and snatched it up.  Checked it out.  No cracks, chips or such.  In my basket it went.  Love those bargains.

 If you were to come to my home, and enter via the front door this is what will now greet you.  I think it looks quite warm and inviting.  You can now see the small desk I picked up.  I think it looks quite nice for my entry. 

Here we are sitting at the small desk.  I think I might like using this to do daily devotionals or Bible studies.  Also would be a nice place just to relax.  I love the picture there on the wall. I love her dress and the way her hair is fixed. 

Here is another picture of my bookcase.  You can really see the true colors of the walls in this picture.  I love it.  I also love the floral swags with lights I put up near the ceiling.  I really think it makes it say HOME.  I want to find some other treasures to put on my shelves.  I will add them as I find pretties.

Oh the story behind this picture.  I was trying to figure out how to hid the electric cord. I had decided that I wanted to make a fabric tube to "pretty up" the cord.  I kne w I had some purple and lilac colored fabric in my sewing room.  I had seen it earlier this week.  Now when I needed it I could not find it to save me.  That was last night.  This morning I get up still looking for it.  Still can't find it.  I wanted to get all of this done prior to my husband getting in at 6AM.  I had some fabric already cut as I was going to use it to bind a quilt.  I had not used it as I used something else.  So there it sat, already for me to sew up.   I went and made a really long fabric tube.  I then fed the cord  into it.  I think it looks kinda neat.  What do ya'll think?  Sometimes the Lord has to just take us by the hand and lead us.  Even in every day things like this.  I am so amazed at the things He shows me daiy.

I hope ya'll have enjoyed looking at the transformaton of my entry hall.  I promise I will be writing more often.  I know it has been a long time coming.

Talk to ya'll later.

Mrs. Sibyl

Jeremy's Story

I know it is all so very scarry with our littles that have had to face open heart surgery.  My son was almost 3 months of age when he had his correction.  This was back in 1980.  I can just imagine all of the advancements that have been made since he had his operation.  I remember some of the equipment that was used on me for tests when I was younger as a congenital heart defect child.  On today's standards they were barbaric.  Also could you imagine what it was like for my parents?  There were not very many children that survived from having hearts operated on back then.  I am talking 1959 and 1961.  It was just unheard of.  Just look at our little list and how many people here have children/or siblings that have had procedures to correct defects.    Let me explain how we handled it when Jeremy was diagnosed. He was 10 days of age and started having seizures so I took him to the doctor.  Never being a mom before I just knew the doc was going to think I had the new mom jitters.  Well thank goodness we had a good peds doc and saw that there was something wrong with him.  Jeremy had seizures so we were fortunate enough that while they were doing an EEG he had one.  Come to find out his seizures were tetney which is caused by low calcium.  So they did a complete Xray of my little guy. Now you have to realize he is a whopping 10 days of age.  I am scared out of my wits but yet I don't cry.  I have given him to the Lord.  Well the radiologist that read his Xray noticed that there was something wrong with his heart.  Well lo and behold there was something wrong.  So we went from just having seizures to now having problems with his heart. All of this within a matter of about 24 hours.  Oh boy what's a young mother to do?  Well thank goodness we were in one of the best hospitals in the world for this.  I think David and I might have cried a total of maybe an hour.  We realized that crying would not help ou son.  We needed to be strong for him.  We knew that I would be with him no matter what.  I don't know how many times we saw children at the hospital and the parents were no where in sight.  Now I'm talking little bitties,  under a year of age.  It was oh so very sad.     I laid it upon the Lord to take care of my little one.    What was so wonderful during all of this time my husband is there by my side at all times.  He was on vacation from us just having a new baby.  He had not even been back to work, we are wondering is our baby on our insurance plan?  How are we going to be able to pay for all of this.  Now my husband prior to us meeting had already purchased our home. He told me while we were in the hospital, if it came to it we would sell the house to have money for our baby, and we could go live with his parents.  Now I thought that was oh so very unselfish of him to give up the house for his son.  So he was placed on meds and we were sent home to get bigger.    Oh don't you just love it when the meds you baby are on have a skull and cross bones on the label.  Yep sure did, because if he took just a little bit too much it could cause his heart to stop.  Jeeze I just couldn't believe it.  And then one time I dropped the bottle of lasix it was like $25.00 a bottle.  That was a lot of money for us back then.  I cried and had to tell my husband that I had to go purchase another one.    Well they scheduled for him to have a heart cath to be done in September---now Jeremy was born on July 2.  So he is just a bit over 2 months of age.  Now the plan was we were to go in one day, have the procedure done the next day, and then go home on the 3rd day.  Well the Lord had other plans.  The evening after the heart cath.  I am carrying Jeremy in my arms.  We went to visit the nurses up on the floor we had been at 2 months prior.  Well Jeremy didn't look quite right.  So I took him to our nurses station.  They take him and go to the procedure room.  Next thing I am hearing code red five tower.  I am thinking that's where I am.  Oh no Jeremy has coded on me.  All of a sudden the nurses, doctors, technicians and all come from out of the woodwork.  They are coming to take care of my little boy. I am just sitting there in front of the nurses station.  All of a sudden they have a chaplain come and talk with me.  We do pray for Jeremy.  Then we just have a nice conversation.  Never was I ever worried about him. I always had a calm peace about Jeremy.  We ended in the ICU for the night.  I called David as he had gone home for the evening.  I explained to him it would not do any good for him to return to the hospital as he was in good hands at that time.  Well we ended up doing the yo yo game.  We were in and out of ICU for the next couple weeks.  They were trying to get some weight on him.  We tried everything trying to get him to gain weight.  They even had me feeding him baby food, anything with calories.  I was unable to nurse him because of his heart rate was so rapid he could not nurse properly.  So it was more important for his survival, than me nursing him.     Well he ended up having his operation on Sept 30, 1980.  Can you believe it has been 25+ years now.  He was in the hospital a total of 45 days.  We were in ICU when the Houston ASTROS went to the play offs for the first time.  In ICU we had some little bitty TVs that the parents could watch while being with their children.  Well I was sitting there with my little one.  We were watching the Astros.  I was able to give all of the docs (this is a teaching hospital so there were always plenty around).  Play by play of the game.  Yes this was memorable because it helped me keep my mind on how sick our little one was.  I could be with him almost 24/7 in the ICU.  I was oh so very fortunate over that.    I am writing all of this story to say, that yes these times can be scarry, but the Lord can carry you through all of them.  We never took our eyes off of the Lord he provided life to our son.  But what was so astounding all the time I was carrying Jeremy.  I kept repeating that will accept what ever is given to us.  Well it was a big WHAT EVER.  But we have done quite well.    Jeremy David Scott is now a 25 year old young man.  He graduated from high school, has been working in the plant security field on the Texas Gulf coast for the last 4 1/2 years.  He still lives at home with his parents, this is his choice.  He feels that he can contribute to to the family.  We are blessed that he has decided to live with us.  Our lives have been enriched by having him with us.  We praise the Lord daily for blessing us with Jeremy   Mrs. Sibyl

The Lord is so good to me

Anyone that knows me very well, knows I love the color purple.  I always have and more than likely always will.  When I was in high school, I was fortunate enough to have my parents let me paint my walls in my bedroom a pretty lavender, with darker purple carpet.  If I had my way I would wear a purple oufit every day. What people know about me also is that I don't know how to grow flowers.  I was not blessed with a green thumb.  I can even kill plastic plants according to my husband, as he has told me over the last quarter of a century.  In fact I have actually killed silk plants.  I would love to have flowers bordering my home and one day I might.  But right now I am satisfied with what I have. 

Now about 2 weeks ago I noticed a single flower blooming on my fence close to my back door.  I looked at it, it's a morning glory. 

My son has been cleaning my fence line.  I instructed him not to go near where this flower was.  Now I have quite a few of these blooms.  I am so very blessed as I did not plant them.  The Lord blessed me with them.  He knows how I love the color purple and he also knows I don't know  how to grow plants.  So I feel very blessed with what he has given me

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Mrs. Sibyl

The spare bedroom

This is another one of those rooms that I never wanted to let anyone into.  This was one of those catch all rooms.  Anytime we did not know where to put something it went in there.  This room is supposed to be my sewing room/pantry, and have the dog pen in it.  But if you were to walk into there you would not  know what you would find. On the list MIH we actually had the week off from decluttering a specific room, but I just could not let this room go any further.  So starting on Thursday, I had decided I had, had enough.  I went in with my sleeves rolled up and armed with my trash bags.  The only thing bad about this is that trash had been picked up on this morning so I am trying to find a place to put all of my trash bags til next week. I ended up re-arranging my entire room.  In fact I went to bed on Thursday evening thinking about it, so much that I awoke up extra early on Friday ready to get it all done.  I really feel that the Lord told me how I should arrange it to make it the work the best.  Once I finished it my husband looked in there (he rarely went in as he could never find anything in there).  he commented how wonderful it looked, then made an even better comment that he really is liking the way our home is starting to look.  He said the house is getting in order so we would not be ashammed to have visitors over.  That just about made me cry because it was such a nice compliment.

Ok here we go---here is a tour of the front bedroom.

This room is guarded by the Dachshund and Chihuahua security agency. The first four pictures are the before, now this is supposed to be a place I can "create"  only thing it created was chaos.

Now after 3-4 days working on this, (I had other things to do besides this room so that is why it took so long).

I know I want to do some decorating in here, but at least it is workable now.  Hope this gives some of ya'll some encouragement to be able to make your house the home you have been dreaming of.

Mrs. Sibyl