pruning

I love plants. Flowers, trees, grasses, weeds...they are all lovely to me. I love the way they spring to life from tiny little seeds. I love the way they transform as they grow. I also love to watch them flourish after pruning.

I have a lovely plant that is brilliant for ground cover; it grows and spreads so quickly and when used in a container has a gorgeous quality of spilling over the sides when it runs out of ground to cover. I bought two of them, but for some reason only put one in its container. Its brother plant was a little neglected, and after two weeks in the hot Columbia sun, it appeared to be dead.

But...there's always a but in a post like this, isn't there?...but. It wasn't dead at all. There was still life in that little neglected container, being held back by a thick layer of unhealthy remains. So instead of throwing that little plant away, not looking for the small signs of life that might still be there, I started to pull the layers of death away. There was a lot of it, and I wondered the whole time if it was going to be worth it. If I should've just let it be and not bothered to remove what was holding this plant back.

Then I got to the underside of the unhealthy, choking remains. And I saw what I was looking for. New life. Ready to thrive, and grow, and spread into something beautiful. I saw the hope of a future for this little plant. And I began to think how life is a lot like that.

Sometimes, you see, there are things in our life that are deeply unhealthy, that are keeping the freshness in us from coming out. Sometimes, there are friendships that need to be trimmed away. Sometimes it's old habits that are like a layer of death keeping us from the light ahead. Sometimes it's our own negativity keeping us from seeing the sun.

So we prune. We separate the unhealthy from what is ready to bloom. We take away what is hopeless to make room for newness. We say goodbye to friendships despite the pain it comes with, we make new habits that help us in order to drop those that hinder us. We actively seek out joy in our lives to make the pain easier to live with, and keep it from stopping our ability to grow. We prune.

It's not easy. Sometimes it seems pointless. Sometimes you hardly remember why you started this process, and question everything. And then you break through to the other side and beauty is waiting for you. The layers of unhealthy weeds have been pulled away, and new sprouts greet you. And you remember why you started. Because this moment, this peace and loveliness, this is what you knew you would find. This part of life was just ahead.

Aren't you glad you didn't stop pruning?

micah 6:8 iPhone lockscreen freebie

A little freebie to start your week this week. This is my life verse. It always reminds me that striving isn't the answer. I don't have to do that, because God didn't ask me to strive or be a major success or become the most incredible superhuman woman ever in history. He asked me to do three things: do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly by His side.

Download the lockscreen here.

What is your life verse? What passages get you through when you're overwhelmed?

blogger coffee date

Yesterday I shared that I've hired Rachel to do an overhaul on my blog, which I could not be more excited about. I love reading what is on other blogger's hearts and minds, and I love to write about my own thoughts and desires,so I was thrilled when I discovered that today, she and Madison of Wetherills Say I Do would hosting a blogger coffee date linkup. I'm so happy I discovered Rachel's blog, for so many reasons!

So, if we sat down for coffee together, I would order a tall no water Chai latte with skim milk if we were at Starbucks, or a large house blend with a pump of vanilla at any other coffee shop. You can learn a lot about a shop by their house blend.

We would start with casual conversation, the usual small talk, I would ask you about your work and tell you I am so in love with mine it's not even funny. But alas, I am not very fond of small talk. I enjoy long, deep conversations with my friends, so the small talk would quickly transform to something more.

I would probably have a journal in my purse, because I carry one everywhere just in case. I would pull it out and show you this little hand lettering of a part of 2 Chronicles 20:17 I did last Sunday.

This verse and the story it's found in made a big impact on my faith. Lately I haven't been quite as sure of God's presence as I have been in the past. Lately I have felt like He wasn't there, and I had to control it all. If we were sitting down for coffee, I would tell you that reading this verse was the biggest reassurance He's still on my side.

I would tell you that this week I have gained so much insight into myself. I'm finding my voice in a whole new way. I would tell you I've rediscovered my passion for writing, and that I've realized it's okay that Sew My Soul had to change along with me. I'm seeing some possibilities for my future that make me so excited and nervous at the same time. And my dear, sweet husband is so supportive through it all. Every new realization I've had and every possibility I've been seeing has him so excited for me to. That man is such a blessing. God really outdid himself.

So, friend, what would you tell me if we sat down for coffee? How is your heart? What has you excited and is awakening your soul today?

Grab the button and link up with us!

going home & going through changes

Lately I've been making changes. I've been growing up, getting to know myself better, and creating a home that feels more like mine. Husband and I recently went to my parent's house to dog-sit while they went out of town, and I was surprised to find that their house doesn't feel like home anymore.

Mom's sweet puppy, Cali

I've been putting lots of effort into making our little house feel more like ours, and it wasn't until we returned to it after our weekend away that I realized it had transformed from a sweet house we were leasing for the next two years into my home. When I walked in the door to mom and dad's, that sense of relief and contentment that only comes from going home didn't wash over me. For the first time in my life, I felt like just a visitor. But when we got back to our sweet little house in our sweet little neighborhood, I felt it. The peace of coming home.

My little coffee station {diy mug tutorial here}

Maybe it's because I've redecorated two rooms precisely to our tastes. Drew is represented in our guest bedroom, aka the Man Cave, filled with Gamecock memorabilia. The office looks like me when you see the aqua walls and white furniture filled with books and delicate touches that remind me who I am.

I guess all the weeks of work made a bigger impact than I thought. I'm home here, in my rental with my husband and hound dog. It's ours and we're making it feel like us more all the time. And I find myself at peace here in a way I wasn't sure I ever would. Thanks, God, for putting me where I didn't want to move and helping me find home in an unexpected place.

In addition to growing up and making my house a home, I'm making lots of changes here on the blog. On Tuesday I announced that I'm transitioning to lifestyle blogging and taking the focus away from how-to. I've been thinking about another major step for weeks, and this morning it became official. The blog is getting a makeover by Rachel from Oh Simple Thoughts. I read her blog daily, and love her aesthetic. Even though part of my career involves graphic design, I've found it so frustrating to design for myself. After lots of weighing the options and asking Husband what he thinks, I finally reached out to Rachel, and I cannot wait to see what this wonderful woman does! So excited to have her help!

Does visiting your parents still feel like going home or have you made your own space home? What did you do to create your own space?

why this posting regularly thing hasn't happened

Lately I've been thinking. About me, what makes me tick, what brings me peace, what brings me joy, and how do I find balance in my life between responsibilities and my passions? The thing is, this blog started as a refashioning blog about sewing and how to do it. And lately I haven't stitched a thing. I have a dresser in my office with several pieces ready to go under the knife pinking shears and I just haven't done it. Why?

My little space to write. {print from vallarina creative}

I love to sew. Truly I do. When I do it I have joy and fun and a sense of accomplishment. But my heart hasn't come alive when I write tutorials on sewing like it once did. When I was in college, I loved how-to posts and I loved sharing projects. But life these days hasn't lent itself to how-to. And my heart isn't in how-to anymore.

My place from which to sew, pre-office makeover. Fun fact: this sewing table belonged to Drew's grandmother and his father refinished the top when he was in high school. It's the real deal from the 1920's.

This blog is going to undergo some changes here. There will be the occasional stitchery, and I will be sharing some projects here and there. But I'm not going to be a craft blogger anymore. Lifestyle blogging is what fits me here and now.

Writing is one of my deepest joys. I have journals all over the house. Any time I'm just having a hard day or just not quite myself, my sweet husband asks, "have you written anything in your journals this week?" He knows how I love to see words flow onto a page. He knows I learn myself and my heart more with each entry. He knows my passion. So while I'm not going to be a craft blogger anymore, I am going to keep blogging here.

I've toyed with the idea of building a whole new blog from scratch. I've considered that it might be easier to transition if I create something new. After all, the name of this blog lends itself to crafting immediately. But Sew My Soul means a little more than just crafting. You see, our lives are pieces of thread woven into a tapestry that is all of Creation. It is being stitched, embroidered, developed, and sewn each day. The small piece of the tapestry that is my life is being stitched as well. My soul, so to speak, is in a constant state of being sewn. Thus, Sew My Soul will continue to be my blogging home.

My fantastic mom/bff and I at the event I spent the last six months planning. A little bit of who I am in this picture. No, that's not a real tattoo. We had a body painter who drew inspiration from everyone's colorful outfits.

What does this mean for you, sweet reader? Well, it means you'll see more things like my thoughts on marriage and body image. You'll begin to see things like me joining a linkup with Princess Burlap on sweetness, or with Rachel of Oh Simple Thoughts for coffee dates. You'll see more of my heart here. You'll see more of real life. Sometimes I'll show you a craft or two, but I'm not going to push myself to be pumping them out constantly. When you come here, you'll be getting to know me. This blog is going to be real from now on. Real me, real thoughts, real life, not just a little thing I like to do in my spare time. This isn't to say I don't love craft blogs; it just doesn't fit who I am anymore.


Welcome to the new Sew My Soul. I hope you'll enjoy its fresh start with me.

5 on friday: five most embarrassing moments

This post is inspired by a comments discussion with Lisa at Two Martinis in which I described my horrific fear of pedicures and the incident that has led me to refuse all future pedicures.

Also this is my first five on Friday list and I'm about to publicly humiliate myself with it. Please be nice to me...

Also sorry for the lack of images. I don't have pictures to go with these stories. You'll understand soon.

Five most embarrassing moments:

1. When I kicked a Canadian pedicurist in the face and maybe broke her nose.
2. When I was three and farted so loudly at the kitchen table at a big family dinner it got named The Classic.
3. When I was eleven and casually asked my mom what anal sex was over after school snack.
4. When I was a freshman in college in Charleston, SC and not used to uneven sidewalks and ran into a large folding sign and faceplanted in the middle of the entrance to one of the busiest parking garages in downtown.
5. When I was at work two weeks ago in a very important meeting and stood up and heard a ripping sound and discovered my pencil skirt ripped all the way up to the waistband.

Stories behind each...

One. I hate having my feet touched. At all. Never ever ever ever touch my feet please ever. When I was 13 I went on a business trip with my parents to this convention in Canada at this really cool lodge with all kinds of amenities including an indoor pool, horseback riding, shopping center, and salon and spa. Our luggage had gotten lost and we were all having a terrible time, so to make us kiddos feel better we each got to do something "special." My something special was a haircut and a pedicure. I got a great hair cut that I loved and sat down in the pedicure chair thinking I was just going to soak my feet in the warm water and then someone would just paint my nails. But then the exfoliation started...and I couldn't take it...my reflexes got the best of me and my foot spasmed and before I knew it the lady down by my feet had a baddd bloody nose. Manager asked me to leave and I RAN out of there. No more pedicures. Ever.

Two. I was literally the shyest child ever. I barely spoke to anyone who was not my mom or my dad at all if I could help it. So big family dinners with all extended family and everything was the scariest thing in the world. One night we went to my grandparents' house for a big huge dinner and I was nervous as can be. Right when my grandpa started to pray, all of a sudden the loudest.fart.ever. escaped my tiny three year old body. Everyone laughed and I started bawling and hid upstairs for the next hour out of embarrasment. It's now fondly referred to as The Classic.

Three. To help me prepare for growing up mom had gotten me a few books about changing bodies and such because I was showing some early signs of puberty and had already had to have The Talk which I didn't fully comprehend. I was a smart kid so mom didn't really read the books before giving them to me assuming I would be ok with them. She had always said I could ask her anything, which I fully believed. One of the books mentioned something about the dangers of anal sex, and I had basically no clue what that meant. So after school one day, I casually said, "Mom, I have a question. What's anal sex?" Needless to say all future books were proofread carefully before being placed in my hands.

Four. Fast forward to college, freshman year, first few weeks, and me in a new city where I know no one. I was going to eat with a few of the people who lived in my dorm building, trying very hard to seem cool and not nearly as naive as I really was, and not paying attention--bad idea when you are as clumsy as I am. You know those folded signs they have all over the place in front of stores and for event parking? Well there was a very large one right in the middle of the sidewalk in a highly visible location, but I was trying to be cool and make eye contact with my hopeful new friends, so I didn't see it. I walked into it, and did a front flip landing straight on my face. Very uncool. Lots of people saw it. I had bruises all over for a week.

Five. I have a big butt. I've mentioned it before in refashion posts that it has to be carefully considered while making new clothes. I have literally one pencil skirt that fits. Just one. So I wore it last week knowing I had a big meeting for a very cool project we are working on and I wanted to look professional and fashionable. The meeting went great, and at the end, I stood up to shake hands goodbye, and I heard an almost cartoonish ripping sound behind me. I carefully took a back hallway to my office, shut the door, and turned my skirt around, and discovered it had torn ALL the way up to the waistband. All. The. Way. I did as much damage control as possible with safety pins, went and told my boss so I could go home and change, and after she laughed for a good ten minutes, she said "Now you can go home and tell Drew you strip at work!"

So there you go. My top five most embarrassing moments. Linking up with Carolina Charm today with this one...hi, you who found me through this link up...please read my other posts so you can see I'm not always this lame.

What are your most embarrassing moments? (you have to tell me one...I just told you about farting at dinner and baring my butt in the office)

let love grow: wedding

Do you love looking at wedding pictures as much as I do?

Good, because I'm sharing them today. It was a perfect way to start the year. January 4, 2014 at 5:30 pm I wedded my high school sweetheart surrounded by only close family and friends.

Most of the wedding was DIY--all printed materials made by me, centerpieces by mom and I, and all other decorations made by me or family. My dad made the pergola we were married under. It was the most perfect thing ever.

We had no guests under 18 but I made an exception for this lovely girl. She's growing into a beautiful young lady.

V is amazing. She's my mentor and friend, and was our day-of coordinator and made the wedding go so smoothly.

Love our California "framily" who has been around since I was teeny.

More framily. Plus mom. The best picture.

My best friend and her man are seriously the most gorgeous couple.

The flu should never stop you from gettin' low on your wedding day.

Aunt and brother entertained the whole crowd with an astonishingly good Gangnam Style performance.

Love my high school girls (minus 2)

This was such a fun and scary exit. I love it.

That's a hot husband there.

I gave up on captions after a little while...sorry. It was the most perfect day. If you want to know more about this venue in Anderson, SC, email Sydney at the Anderson Arts Center. I can't recommend it enough. I worked there for three wonderful years and it is truly the most gorgeous gallery. If you are in South Carolina and like this photographer, check out Van Sullivan Jr. Photography. He and his wife did a wonderful job capturing our day. For the best florist in the upstate, call Amy at Electric City Blooms.

*none of the vendors have asked me to feature them or link to their businesses. All recommendations and opinions are solely mine. I only recommend products or businesses I truly believe in.