birdsandtrees

New Orleans Part Deux

While we were in New Orleans, we all went to my favorite theater and saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  I knew it was filmed in New Orleans, but I didn't really know anything else about it.  In the elevator on the way to the theater, I made the comment to my mom that I hoped it wasn't going to be a sad movie because I didn't really feel like crying.  Well, I was sadly (no pun intended) mistaken.  It was sad.  I cried sobbed.  My mom sobbed harder.  But the movie was beautiful.  It felt special to see it in New Orleans (Katrina is part of the plot as well)...during the movie, people would whisper places they recognized and you could feel the emotion when clips of Katrina weather reports were shown.  But I'm really glad I saw it.     
I will also say that the movie made me like Brad Pitt a lot more.  The whole leaving-Jenn-for-Angelina thing always bothered me, so I was on Team Anniston, but now- I have a new respect for Brad.  Way to go, buddy. 

 

The day after we saw the movie, James, my mom, and I were shopping uptown and James did a little research and found the house where they filmed the movie -it's in the Garden District right around the corner from Commander's Palace.  The house is a big part of the movie.  We pulled up to it and there were several other people taking pictures.  It is a beautiful house in a beautiful part of New Orleans. 

So all these pictures are the house...isn't it nice?  This is the front entrance, leading up to the porch.
We tried to see the back, but it's hard to see, with a huge wall and gate in the way. 

If you look real hard, the back steps are right in there, where Benjamin's dad left him, and many other scenes took place back there.  Brad and Cate hanging out together, no big deal. 

The house is for sale...around 3 million if there are any takers out there. 

Go and see it and let me know what you think! 

New Orleans Part 1

James and I got back from New Orleans this weekend, and I think I'm still full from all the food.  We had such a good time, with lots of really good food and fun times with my family.  Here are some things we accomplished on our New Orleans checklist:
1.  Have an amazing dinner (with turducken!)  with friends and family: check. 

2.  Walk around and take pics of the city with my NEW CAMERA (!!!): check.

3.  Get drinks at the Columns Hotel: check.

4.  Go to a reveillon meal at Upperline: check. 

5.  Get sushi at my favorite place: check. 

More of my checklist tomorrow!  Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Breakfast

I've learned many things from watching (literally) hundreds of episodes of Barefoot Contessa.  But one important thing is that breakfast is one of the best times to entertain- it's less formal, more relaxed, and you have the rest of the day in front of you.  It's a great way to start the day.  Since James and I go to a church that meets at night, we thought we should give it a try.  And it was wonderful!  It gave me the opportunity to set a festive table, and it gave James an opportunity to perfect his grits-making technique.  Here's what was on the menu:
- blueberry coffee cake muffins (can't get enough of these, really)
- grits
- fruit salad with honey-vanilla yogurt
- bacon

Makes me hungry just thinking about it...anyway, it was the perfect way to start this Christmas week.  Today we're heading to New Orleans, so I'll be back in this space next week.  Have a Merry Christmas everyone!! 

A Winter Wonderland

I'm loving these wintery pictures on flickr...click on it to see each one!

Quilt Frames Part 2

This school year, I wanted the kids to give their families something handmade, and I decided to take the idea from the quilt frame I made (using Posie's instructions from her new book).  Instead of using a photograph, I had the kids draw a portrait of their family.  I put it on fabric using iron-on transfer paper.  Then they added some detail with embroidery (they've been learning some basic stitches at school- straight stitch, backstitch, split stitch, and satin stitch).  After that, I framed it with fabric and added two loops on the back to hang it.  And voila!  Many hours of sewing later, here's what we ended up with:

 


 (apparantly they taste good)





 

I'm so happy with how they came out!

Molly's response...

(If you're confused, see this post)

10 things I'm loving right now...

1.  the smell of our Christmas tree when you walk in the door
2.  our flannel sheets...this is the first year we've had them and I really don't know how I've survived without them for so long!
3.  peppermint mochas 
4.  the teacups that I just got from my friend Fosh...I had mentioned awhile ago that I was coveting them on etsy, and she bought them for me!   
5.  handmade christmas gifts like from this place and this place and this place and this place

6.  wrapping gifts and putting them under the tree
7.  rereading Little Women, especially Chapter 2
8.  new soft yarn from my favorite yarn shop, ready to be made into something for a friend
9.  being sung to by a group of carolers last night! 
10. setting the table with my nice dishes, lighting candles all around the house, and making a really good dinner for really good friends

I hope your weekend is being filled with the people and the things you love!

Class Quilt Frame

After my last post about handmade gifts, I've been hard at work in the basement/schoolroom/craftroom.  I had been looking through the new Posie craft book (see post here) and decided to make the quilt frame.  I had an idea to make it with our class picture and to give it to all the parents as a Christmas gift.  I then changed my mind (mid-project, which happens a lot) and decided to make just this one for me and I'm going to do something similar (but with something instead of the class picture) for the parents.  I'll be sure to show the revised project next week when me and the kids finish them all.  I'm thinking there are going to be some late nights next week.  Crunch time is upon us- two weeks to go! 
Anywho, I just finished making our class picture quilt frame and thought I'd share.  The lighting is so bad today (and has been all week), so please excuse the bad picture. 

The instructions in the book made it easy to put together, and I will definitely be making something like this again.  After my eyes were opened to printing pictures on fabric, it opened up a whole new world of craft possibilities. 

Looking at these pictures, it's hard for me not to point out all the faults, but I'm slowly learning that no one really wants to hear those.  And I am happy with it, so I'll just leave it at that! 

Posie's book is all about making projects that will help you always remember a special time, place, event, etc.  And so for me, this picture will help me remember one of the first weeks of our school- the air was getting cooler, leaves were just beginning to fall, acorns were being collected and stuffed in pockets, and I just managed to get the perfect shot of our sweet little class.  It was a good day. 

A Love Letter for Molly

Since I teach at home, Molly is a big part of our school.  She comes downstairs when school begins, plays outside with the kids during break, and watches them leave at the end of the day.  I know the kids love her- they tell me all the time.  But today, we reached a whole new level, because one of the students made this for her and put it on our fridge (but down low so Molly could read it, naturally):

Pretty straightforward, huh?  Now all we're waiting for is Molly's response. 

She's really thinking this one over.  Making pro and con lists as we speak. 
It is her first love letter, after all. 
I'm thinking there will be a marriage proposal on Monday. 

I'm so glad the Christmas season is here- I can finally play Sufjan's Christmas CD again and I've started to get out the Christmas decorations, which always make the house seem warmer.  A lot of my decorations are from my grandmother, who made them by hand.  And I love them.  There is something so special about things that are handmade.  Last year I took the handmade pledge, and I'm pledging again this year...and maybe it's something you'd like to do, or just to think about.  I'm not in the extreme category though- I'm more into a mixture...handmade and non-handmade gifts. 
In the next few weeks I'll hopefully be able to show you some of the things I've been working on (without spoiling it for the ones receiving them!). 
If you need a place to buy handmade things, etsy is a good starting place!  It is the mother load of all things handmade. 

And while we're talking about Christmas, be sure to check out Melissa's blog everyday for an Advent Reflection, a time to rejoice in the fact that the Lord has come and He's coming again!