Boxed up for a Wedding

Our pal, Lucas, married his bride, Nina, the other weekend. It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony held in a little glen in the woods at the end of a sweet lil hike. It was a hot summer day, but the fun couldn't be stopped by just weather. S'more roasting, dancing, and sparkler exit- without fail.

I used another of my record boxes to wrap up a quick gift for the sweet Halls.

The dish towels feature the designed caricatures of the couple from their invitations. The look was too cute not to duplicate for posterity and everyday use.

The ornament was inspired by a wedding gift we received from a friend of Stan's. It has pretty curled pieces of their invitation in it (and a little bit of baby's breath from my wedding centerpieces). We just loved having a little of our wedding on our Christmas tree this past year.

We're still working on getting moved into OUR NEW HOUSE. (I still can't believe we're homeowners!) And I'm excited to share some before and after shots as the afters start happening. It sure is a process. But a super awesome one, and it's even more so with a partner along for the ride.

Somebunny to Love

My sweet friends got married earlier this summer. They are not mushy gushy people but they do have a pretty saccharine sweet pet name for each other. "Bunny" And somehow it's not out of character to call a bearded, motorbike enthusiast a bunny. It suits them, and I wanted to pay it homage in their embroidery.

It was such an honor to witness their wedding. A creative joining of two hearts and lives. 

Freezing Hot Date (and a record haul)

Took half a floating holiday yesterday (sounds like it should be an anime movie) and went on a Dayton adventure with the hubby? The cold weather has kept us inside and sedentary all too often of late. We hit up a few Dayton delights to shake things up a bit. Sushi at Fusion, frozen yogurt at Bad Frog a stop in at Omega to peruse the cheapo bins and a nice, long (and warm!) walk through the Dayton Art Institute.

In true Frank form, we didn't document the date. I really want to start taking pictures of things we do in these early days of marriage. I'm sure I will appreciate them later if we do. I'd love to see more pictures from the beginning of my parents' marriage.

No pictures, then. But we came out rich from the record store. Darn place got rid of their listening station so I couldn't preview the records. But I'm super pumped about several of them. I mean, who doesn't need atleast ONE square dancing album? When I saw the "When Harry Met Sally" soundtrack I exclaimed, out loud: "This is the best day ever!" Thank you, record collectors, for not putting a high monetary value on the type of music I adore to collect.

New Year, New Life, New Practices

I quit taking piano lessons on three separate occasions as a child. The idea of being able to play the piano was always so attractive to me. I saw my sister's fingers glide over the keys and pour out "Moonlight Sonata" and "the Flight of Bumblebee" and I wanted to have the same magical effect. If my sister could do it so easily, so could I. When I sat down at the keyboard- my instructor at my side- I realized that my learning curve was steep. I'd have to play scales and learn the names of the keys even before I'd plink out 15 second songs and jangling chords. I knew but didn't understand that piano would take an enormous amount of practice. I had hoped to be a child prodigy, pouring out compositions on the first try. But I was the rule, not the exception. Piano wouldn't come to me easily- or even naturally. So I quit.

This to attempt to explain the person that I have been throughout most of my life. My first response to a challenge is often to question whether I am cut out of the necessary cloth. I quit when things get hard. Because, if I were meant to do it it'd be easier for me, right? 

Granted, I have learned many things through practice. I write these sentences (most of them complete and cohesive- I hope) with 25 years of practice under my belt. 6 years were spent in intensive programs for the express purpose of learning how to better transport thought to page. My ability to write didn't sprout up in me overnight. Still, I began to focus on my writing back in 5th grade when I realized I had an aptitude for it. This is how I work, and how I imagine many other people function as well. We invest our personal energy in those things in which we already exhibit potential.

That is why my current journey is so different from most others in my past. You see, I don't think marriage is coming super naturally to me.

Let me clarify a few points before anyone misunderstands: 

1. I am so happy I am married to Stan. 
2. I do not regret getting married.
3. I'm not going to quit this marriage like I quit piano.

No one let me go into this marriage thing blind. I was well aware of the fact that marriage is a practice. Going in, I knew I would wake up each morning and not automatically know how to "play all the right notes" in married life. But I thought I'd at least have more natural aptitude for it. 

I know, I know - you're all sitting there going, "But Sarah's gotta be a great wife! She's so sweet and optimistic and crafty. And she can cook!" (I flatter myself with your flattery of me.) Sure, some of my blog-related skills are coming in handy in marriage. The mister enjoys my cooking. Our home has been exponentially cuter this Christmas season with a two-person audience to enjoy the decorations. And I think, in general we're both really good at loving each other and caring for each other. But as newlyweds, there are a million things every day that happen that just miss the mark. You know, some "bad chords", if we continue with the metaphor. 

Going in to this marriage, I knew that one of my biggest challenges would be my patience. Poor mister, he gets the brunt of my impatience, daily. I did my best to start working on this challenge even before the marriage began. I have spent time, energy and prayer working on creating an attitude of patience towards my husband. Though I know there's plenty of work yet to be done, I do think my skill set has grown, my aptitude improved. (He might tell you differently...)

But here's where I'll get real: It's not HIM I need to be patient with.

Just like when I was trying to learn the piano (or any number of other quickly quit things throughout my days), I am expecting myself to immediately master the very hard task of being a wife. There is an article I stumbled into on the internet the other day that said that many newlyweds make the mistake of thinking that they can "microwave" their marriage. Of course, a marriage needs to be "slow roasted" and not nuked. I read that, and new I was treating our marriage - and my new role as wife - a little too much like a Hot Pocket.

Sure, the mister needs me to be patient with him. But I really need to practice patience with myself. I am going to make so many mistakes. And I can't be so frustrated with myself when I make them. The skills that are necessary to become a great wife and 1/2 of a great marriage won't come overnight. I am not a marriage prodigy. But I'll learn to be a better wife through years of practice, years of plinky songs, and jangly chords. Practice means a willingness to be okay with doing things imperfectly as you work towards something better. The little perfectionist in me needs to let go and enjoy the unpredictability of our perfectly imperfect marriage. 

So that, if anything, is my New Year plan. 1. Be patient with myself, the work God is doing in me, and in my marriage. And 2. to intentionally enjoy the mess on the way to success.

a messier moment from our beautiful wedding day

Also- I plan to blog more. More wedding pictures are forthcoming.

The Next Parts of My Life

Hello all! It has been the longest time since I made a moment to fill the blog world in on my goings on. Here's the deal. My life has exploded. It has been both good and challenging, hard and wonderful. But it has been one of those times in life when there seems to be a lack of time. Every moment is filled with things and feelings, and every spare moment slips by quickly unnoticed. 

So, I am tired. I am the kind of tired that goes to the bone. And what sounds really nice right now is a snow day. But it's August, and there's no inclement weather approaching to secure a day of forced inside coziness.

Here's what's been up with me:

June 13 - Said goodbye to my first car- "Timber"the best Saturn SL2, ever.
Highlight: my "new" (also made in 1996) car, "Mixy" is a station wagon. 

June 16 - I went to LA on a mission trip with high schoolers for a week.
Highlights: Runyan Canyon Hike, seeing Ron Jeremy with a bunch of church kids, amazing weather.

July 14 - A week-long "vacation" away from home with Stan

Highlight: a hot walk on Put-in-Bay island that IS funny now as I look back (Stan was right), Erie seaglass, watching the kids wrestling with Stan.

July 27 - Stan PROPOSES. I say YES! (duh)
Highlights: wading through ankle deep mud puddles to get to the spot where he did it, him- in general.

August 11 - We decide to get married this fall.
Highlights: Cool weather, fall leaves... and we get this done and over with. 

[insert photo of a frazzled, probably-crying, actually quite happy, bride to be.]

August 13 - Nephew # 4 born. Samuel Ezra.
Highlights: squishy little nose, that new baby smell, the way his brothers and sisters adore him.

August 24 - Completed renovation of two student ministry rooms in the church where I work.
"Highlight": a horrible trip to ikea with a buying team of 5 - it felt like I had 3 husbands.

And then there were the other things. Things like A) job hunting for the Mr. B) trying to figure out how two people will fit into this itty bitty apartment full of my overflowing chotchkies C) wedding planning D) work work work & E) a tiny bit of socializing F) Not much creating.

Next Up in Life?

November 3 - Get hitched.

Details: Check out our wedding website.  (still under construction)

Tons and tons of wedding planning. I've been feeling an awful lot like I have two full time jobs lately. I go to work and do work and then come home and do work. I've designed our invites and save the dates myself. I'm shopping for decor for the space. Things are coming along, but good god, it's so much more complicated than I ever thought it could be. Thank goodness I have a fantastic prize waiting on me at the finish line of this race.

Hopefully, I'll get some process pictures up here sometime. We're having the wedding in a barn in West Chester, Ohio. It will be family and close friends from all parts of our lives. Think a little rustic and vintage. Yellow, red and tiffany teal. Records and games and fun oh my. With hot cider ladled into paper cups. Here goes!

Ikea Nightstand Hack - Cheap & Easy Footstool

My boyfriend is a couch hog. He works hard all day at work. He likes to get comfy afterwards. And that means lying down on my skinny vintage couch effectively taking up the entire length and width of the couch. After many long suffering months of trying to share this space, it became necessary to get: a FOOTSTOOL.

I was kinda aching for a little stuffed box with hidden storage space, but I'm too thrifty to pay 30+ dollars for a tiny piece of furniture. I mean, I got my awesome couch off the side of the road. (One day, maybe, I'll grow up and pay full price for something that hasn't been used already.)

I found the solution at Ikea! Go figure.  I used this simple, inexpensive RAST nightstand as the premise. This was the only thing I found at Ikea that fit the bill. It needed to be short enough to be comfortable to put your legs on while sitting on the couch AND it needed to be thin enough to slide under my coffee table when not in use.

Turns out, a few other web folks have found this Ikea hack on their own- so it's not a NEW idea. But I think my final product is still bragworthy. The whole project took maybe an hour total to complete, though I finished it gradually over a week while I was gathering the necessary tools and add-ons.

What you will need:

• RAST Night Stand - $14.99
• Sturdy Material - from my craft stash
• foam padding (a pillow would work) - from my craft stash
• staple gun - borrowed
• gliding furniture tacks - $2.49
• Murphy's Oil (or other oil or stain) - from the cleaning cupboard

Making it Happen

1. Stain all pieces using oil
2. Cut some foam to fit the top of the night stand
3. Stretch fabric over the top piece and staple (I did the corners like I was making a bed) 
4. Poke holes through stretched fabric where the screws go in
5. Assemble the night stand
6. Tack on gliders

You know me, I like to get things done quickly so I can enjoy them. The unseen details aren't quite as important as the more visible parts of a project. So it doesn't matter to me that there are some salvaged edges showing when you look under the stool. I might eventually hot glue a square of fabric or covered cardboard under here for a more finished look. The glider tacks are a super addition to what was a clunky piece of furniture. they allow the stool to slide across the carpeted floor with ease.

Now I'm on the lookout for a basket or box that will fit perfectly into the open space in the footstool. I can't believe Ikea doesn't have it! 

I love my new footstool. In fact, I'm using it right now. If you're in need of a resting place for your aching dogs, try this one out. It's easily customizable to your stylish space.

Would you hold this for me? (or) Unconventional Functionals

I was going to do my stinky sink full of dishes but, instead, I'm blogging about antiques. Go figure. I had every intention to be one kind of productive. But now I'm being another kind of productive. If the dishes would do themselves I'd call this a win win situation.

This Monday, I spent a lovely 11 hours spending time with my dear friend Lindsay. We had some plans. Today, I also learned that eye check-ups require appointment making (One day I'll be a real adult and plan ahead.) So we mostly spent the day following whims through this second hand shop and that antique store, laughing all the way. It was a perfect way to pass a relaxing day off after a long work weekend.

In addition to gathering a grip of ridiculous men's t-shirts to transform into ironic baby onesies for some hip babies-to-be, I picked up a couple fun (and useful) gems for my apartment. 

I like finding unintended purpose in objects. That's the theme today. For instance, I found this sunburst clock on the side of the road a few weeks ago. I dusted it off, hung it up and enjoyed it for a few days before I realized that it was perfectly situated to hold my sunglasses collection!

This tie rack I picked up at Goodwill for $.79. Turn it on end, and flatten the arms in the upward position and I have a brand-spanking new mail holder! I think it looks pretty darn classy, if you ask me.

Also enjoyable? When things with very practical purpose don't take themselves too seriously. For instance, this way crazy and decorated waste basket. I COULD NOT pass this kitschy thing up. (Especially for $2.50!) 

What a lovely day off! I hope your last days of summer are filled with both purpose and whimsy as well. Those are the best kind of days, filled with a lovely balance. 

Childhood Dreams

My local public library is currently featuring some pretty fantastic kid art. The theme of the project is to write about your dreams. One librarian's example was that she has a recurring dream that her teeth fall out (the internet tells me that this either means she's going to come into some money or that she's under a lot of stress). The students ran in all directions with the assignment and there were so many cute responses. Some were about dreams that they had while sleeping, others drew depictions of their dream occupation or their greatest fantasy. I snapped some shady, pixelated pictures with my phone. But I think it was worth the awkward creeper moment.

This little girl knows exactly what kind of life she wants to lead. And who wouldn't want to be such a beautiful mermaid?! I love the big, swirly bubbles.

The left photo reads: "My dream is... eating a double decker pizza." (And seriously, I want to try that. Don't you? Although I'm thinking the picture isn't quite capturing the concept. This looks more like triangulated pizza.) The other reads: "My dream is... I am in the cloud." (How deep can a 5 year old get? And that isn't some fluffy white cloud, it's a thunderhead.)

Below you'll find another couple surrealists. The left one reads: "My dream is... meeting a caveman and him leading me into a video game." And then there is a tsunami (great spelling, kid!) chasing the kid in the ocean. (This kid has some crazy dreams! Really? Time travel, turning into a videogame, natural disasters? I think maybe this is a plotline from a 90's teen movie.) And on the right: "My dream is... I will fall from the roof and fly like a bird with wings."(This kid and the cloud kid need to get together and start a writing group. There's something so beautiful, and also haunting, about this dream to fly. Not just fly, but fall off the roof first. As though the fear of falling is a necessary step in learning to soar.)

 When we are children, there is no shortage of dreams. My reoccurring dream when I was small was that Garfield was trying to eat me. (Try to explain the meaning of THAT one, internet.) But I also had lots of dreams for my future. I wanted to be a cartoonist. I dreamed that I would be a famous playwright. I prayed every night before I went to bed that God would let me be in just one movie before I turned 16. I was certain that if I met Devon Sawa he would be as determined in his love for me as I was for him. These dreams were maybe not the most consequential or practical dreams, but they were so real to me. they were all consuming. I wrote about them, talked about them, prayed about them constantly.

As I grew a little older -but was still oh so young- I started to dream of being a wife a mother. Of keeping a certain kind of house.  Living little moments filled with big love, like something out of the last scene of a romantic comedy. I didn't think much about my profession or of my accomplishments, but mostly fantasized about the feelings I would have: of completion, contentment and satisfaction. These seemed the rewards to be reaped from a live well lived in the building of a family.

Then, when it became harder to focus on what I didn't have (mainly the "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" complex) I intentionally tried to stop dreaming so much about about relationships. At first, my dreams were structured around my profession. I imagined myself growing a life in non-profit management and perhaps entrepreneurial efforts in social services. It seemed as I got older, my dreams became more practical. But you know, that is just so boring.

Why should dreams be practical? Dreams are dreams. They need not be bound by the trappings of reality. They are supposed to be to high to reach. I am supposed to want to be in the cloud. So here's a new dream. 

I want to float on an innertube down the Mississippi river, from Lake Itasca to the Gulf, linked up with 20 of my closest friends and family members. (Heck, let's make it 50!) I want the sun not to burn our skin and for our toes not to wrinkly. There will be a bluegrass band floating on a raft behind us providing the entertainment. I dream that our meals will fall from the sky like manna, but be more like kielbasa, spinach pies, and spring rolls depending on our mood. I want the weather to be perfect, 75 and partly shady with a warm rain once every now and then. If, when we reach the ocean, we all want to do it again, I want the river to reach up, like the arm of a man, to it's beginning and plop us back down for a second ride.

It's just one dream of many that I have. One day, it might happen in some strange, roundabout ways. Or, who knows, one day I may fall from the roof and fly like a bird with wings.

Huff Family Reunion 2012

My absence is due to a long weekend full of travels to eastern Ohio for a family reunion and some (maybe) restful moments away from work. I saw some familiar faces and spaces and enjoyed a great deal of fun times with my dear family. 

The recaps are going to come in installments, because (you know me) I took a bahzillion pictures and want to share a lot of it all with you. I'm starting with the Huff Family Reunion in Dover, Ohio. 

My family has been having this biennial reunion for over 20 years now. For years, we met at a hotel resort on Atwood Lake in the boonies of eastern Ohio. After some economic turns in the region, the resort changed hands and purposes and we were left to find a new host for our event. The result? We moved back "home" to Dover, where my grandpa grew up. This little town, filled with lots of german and Moravian descendants,  is the origin of the Francis Huff and Adella Portz family. We enjoyed being surrounded by our own history. 

Saturday included a tour of the family home, which was built my my great grandfather many years ago. It is still in the hands of the family that purchased it from my great grandma some 20 years ago. My family traipsed about the house poking into little corners admiring and remembering. I was too little to recall my visits to grandma's house as a toddler, but most had very specific and beautiful memories and they shared stories. 

My uncle Tim and his cousin, Kip, remembered hiding treasures in a secret door in a wooden panel. My dad didn't even know it existed! Sneaky sneaky. My 2nd cousin, Andrew recalls tossing toys down the 3 story laundry chute. I was amazed as I thought about the work my great grandfather must have put into this building. I adore the old, original hardware and his beautiful woodwork. 

The home was surrounded by beautiful gardens and yards where children have played for over a hundred years. Three generations of "Huffs" toured the family home together. What an honor to have a family that values this history.

I've always enjoyed getting together with my father's side of the family. We're fun people often with a strange sense of intelligent humor. We're kind and yet a tid bit sassy. (We don't evade the normal family dramas...)  The gang is a diverse one. You'll find, as you click through my hyperlinks on this page that we're all over the map in careers and passions. We're a melting pot of conservative and liberal, old-fashioned and modern, scientific and creative. (As I make these links, I realize we are often VERY creative.) We hail from: OH, MI, MT, CA, IL, NY, MN, GA, MA, & AZ. 

I love my family. I can't wait until next reunion. Just think how the little ones will have grown by then! And who knows what I'll be doing then...time shall tell.

Cute as a Button Bunny (as promised)

As promised, here's some pictures of the present I made for my friend's newborn. I crocheted the bunny then made her a little dress because she seemed like a modest gal. No naked bunny boobies here. (Too far?) Her head is permanently cocked to one side- because I attached it crooked. But it's kinda cute, like she's giving you a coy little smirk.

I love to imagine a cuddly toy like this nestled under a sleeping arm, or dragged along behind a tumbling toddler. The button eyes are secured pretty tightly, but if you were a stickler or worried parent they could be replaced with embroidery like the nose.

Back when my little niece was a baby, I made her a similar bunny. She's now 2 years old. In January, I had a half hour phone conversation with her on her birthday. It's so hard to believe all this time has passed. She's so grown up already.

I miss my sister's little ones. I might be due for a visit. I'll see them in June for the Huff Family Reunion, but maybe before then I can sneak up to Ann Arbor for a fix.