{Textiles....}

Check out Lauren's new Textile line here! Lauren Liess is a designer in the DC area and heads up the famous Pure Style Home blog... one of my favorites! Go check it out :)

{www.purestylehome.co}

Happy Wednesday!
Sarah

{a tea kettle and a Weber grill...}

Most of you have heard by now of the horrible storms that passed through Mississippi, Tennessee and most of Alabama. Even though I have so many posts to catch up on from previous design work and photo sessions, I wanted to share a little bit of what we've been going through... My heart goes out to Sweet Home Alabama. Please be in prayer for the victims of the storms and the countless workers trying to locate everyone and clean up the state.

I listened to the radio the whole way back from Birmingham to Huntsville on the historic morning so that I would be aware if I needed to pull over and take cover. See some of the shots I captured with my smart phone along the journey home.

 This photo is while crossing over the Tennessee River... minutes before the radio man said, "Decatur area, you have 6 minutes until the tornado reaches you, take cover NOW."

Simply. Ominous. I was close to the exit that would bring me out of the direct path of the storm, according to the local radio station. Notice: no one else is really out on the roads with me...

 Almost home... the storms are rolling in.

Trees were down from the previous storms..

I love this image of the storms rolling in behind this precious country church. I am reminded of James 1:2-4. Talk about testing your faith.... driving in the storm. But this picture shows the whitest most perfect steeple even in the midst of the storm and uprooted trees.... "Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness..." James 1:2-3
 
By God's grace and mercy, I arrived safely home. But to my dismay, my sweet husband was still on his way home from work. Finally, he made it home... We still had power for a few minutes, and I watched the storm roll through on TV. Sometime around 5pm our power went out and we scrambled to find an old radio that had working batteries... After waiting out the storm, we praised God in thankfulness for our lives, our home and our safety.

It was a torrential down pour and the sound of hail beating down on our skylights did not exactly comfort me. However, I did remember something my grandfather (whom I call D'daddy) always quoted a verse from Matthew 10:29-31, "His eye is on the sparrow," as I looked out the window, even as the tornado sirens blared and saw a couple of cardinals resting on the gutter out my window. They, too, had shelter in the storm.

a tea kettle and a Weber grill

With no electricity and grateful for our lives, we said grace over a yummy plate of chicken salad (thanks to a stocked pantry of canned chicken). It was a dark night, but we slept soundly in our home, unharmed by the storm.  The next day, my sweet mother reminded us of the "cowboy way" to make coffee.... after we had suffered through the morning without any coffee, or caffeine for that matter. So our remedy was what I like to call, the "cowgirl way"... on the side burner of our Weber grill with our faithful tea kettle. Thank goodness for my husband keeping us stocked with 2 tanks of propane!

Making decaf coffee by candlelight.

I absolutely love how creative we can be when we use all the resources we have! My husband found his LED headlamp and we made decaf coffee by candlelight the night after the storms. We even played UNO by candlelight after dinner with our decaf coffee. What a sweet memory! He won both games, of course.

So with our faithful tea kettle and a Weber grill, we survived 24 hours without power....
Please continue to pray for Alabama!!! Stay updated with the Tennessee Valley here.

XOXO,
Sarah

{Precious Parman Photos}

     

 
Hello world!!! I'm soooo excited to share photos from the latest photography session... This precious little one was born just a few weeks ago. We were able to do the session on one of the most glorious sunny days! The lighting was a bit challenging at first (thanks to Daylight Savings throwing me off a little), but we persevered! I hope you enjoy! More to come soon... check back soon!

These parents are wonderful and they let me do so many great shots... it just took a little over an hour!

John-boy got a little tired at the end but his sweet parents knew just how to calm him down... Once we decided he had had enough and when I thought I had plenty of great shots, they strapped him in his car seat. Wouldn't you know, he was immediately quiet... after hollering for quite a while. Amazing what a car seat can do....










Oh what a big yawn! The little man was tired before we even got started, but he was a trouper throughout the whole session. He is even more precious in real life... but these pictures do a pretty good job of showing him off :-)

The photographs were taken over in the Hampton Cove subdivision area... one of the most photographed places in Huntsville, so I've been told...

If you or someone you know would like to book a photography session, just shoot me an email sarah@cruze.biz.

Thanks,  
xoxo Sarah

{Applique Onesies}

I'm back!!! So I've been really busy working on design projects at work....I should have {before & afters} up here soon. I just had to take a break and get a little crafty. Check out these cute little Applique Onesies I made for my "expecting" friend:

I did these in no-time. Each one is made with love and leftover discontinued fabric samples {I love working for a furniture dealer Bragg's where I have access to such beautiful fabrics!} My husband calls me a fabric junkie because I have overflowing bins of fabrics.... waiting to be used on the next project.

How did I do this? I used a little bit of heat bond lite, an iron, a needle and thread. All found at our new JoAnn Fabrics. The onesies can be found at any baby store or Target store, etc.

{image from JoAnn Fabrics}

Simply draw a sketch of what you want to applique. My friend is having a boy, so I did a cute car, elephant and the letter "b" for their last initial. Once you have your drawn sketch (or printed from the internet :), make sure the scale is proportionate to your article of clothing. I used 0-3 months size, so I had to make the appliques tiny! Lay your cut out sketch over your desired fabric, with the heat bond sheet behind it and cut around the edges. Follow directions on the heat bond lite when you iron.


After you have your finished applique, the No-Slip Hoop stitch really helps keep your fabric taut while you stitch around the edges. Have fun!

{here's a close-up... the elephant even has a tail!}

Happy Friday!

Sarah :-)

{the Table is central...}

Setting the table... Now, how many of you remember this chore as a child? I still remember when my grandmother, whom we call "Bea Bea," taught me the proper way to set a table... Also, she always made sure there was something "pretty" at the center.

This Thanksgiving, as my cousins and siblings are taking on more responsibilities to put on the feast (so Bea Bea can enjoy her company and not be so busy in the kitchen), I volunteered to set the table.

After adding the leaf extension to my grandmother's table, I added the most beautiful hand-embroidered table cloth. Bea Bea reminded me that this particular tablecloth once belonged to her mother. What an heirloom!

Now for the china, she has so many options to choose from, however the most colorful option was her "Empress" and "Chateau" patterns. I absolutely LOVE this china pattern... always have! Most of these pieces she inherited from her sister-in-law. I remember playing "tea party" with my older sister as a child.... we loved to pretend having special guests of honor at our table...

The floral centerpiece took the most concentration. I used a harvest variety bunch of flowers from Sam's Club. They have a great floral selection (at a great price) and if you time it just right, you can get the best bunch! I used a low ceramic bowl with a floral oasis as my base. I started placing the sunflowers since they add the most punch, then followed with the yellow lilies. I filled in the rest with the colorful mums and greenery. Be careful to turn your vase often to keep the arrangement balanced. By using an odd number of tall, pigment dyed wheat pieces (found at Tuesday Morning for just a few dollars) I added a whimsical height without covering the view from across the table, per Bea Bea's special request....

By flanking the large centerpiece with two small crystal bowls, the table is balanced. I used the goldenrod in each smaller vase and used the remaining large mums for a burst of color.

What a feast!The Table is so central in our family. Not only special occasions, but just about any meal time, "we gather together to ask the Lord's blessing" {my grandfather's favorite song.} As the story goes, Bea Bea's father built a table in each house they lived in as their family grew. When they moved, the table was too big to move so they left it with the house. My grandmother was 1 of 8 children, 6 of whom were boys... You can imagine how big the table was as the family grew and spouses joined in at the table...

I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanks for checking in...

Sarah

{gardening and "pure project"}

Greek Oregano that is so fragrant!

 I started this basil from little seeds....
and have loved watching it grow!

So, this summer has been hot... ok, extremely hot! I've somehow managed to grow a "potted" herb garden on our patio, but the heat is making them struggle a bit.

Apparently, when the heat saps the plants, the bugs come from near and far to feast on the struggling plants. Thanks to my sweet Mom, I learned about an amazing stuff called Seven Dust.You just sprinkle it over the leaves and it kills the bugs, but won't harm humans... So we can still make our pizza's with fresh herbs! Yay!

One of the many grasshoppers living on my Maiden Hair Fern.

Along with gardening, I'm learning to appreciate live greenery in my home. My husband is great about getting fresh flowers often for me, but sometimes it's the simple green that makes me happy. I decided to link up with Pure Style Home to participate in Lauren's "Pure Project."

I had so much fun adding a "happy" to my kitchen! Thanks for the inspiration, Lauren!

Lemon Thyme + Oregano in the smaller vessel... with a mix of Sage and Maiden Hair Fern leaves in the taller one. Basil clippings are in the fun red vase that one of the swim team kids gave me!

{not just another design blog...}

I, Sarah Cruze, am a thirty-year-old newlywed and Registered Interior Designer living in North Alabama. My design philosophy is to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, respect the interests/styles of others and appreciate good design when I see it. I believe that everyone's home can be uniquely their own. At Sarah Cruze Designs, I embrace the true essence of being resourceful, organized and living "simply." So why am I starting this blog you might wonder? No, it's not just another design blog.... My hope is that my musings will inspire others to create, explore and appreciate the simple pleasures in life, with me.

Living here for just a few months after getting married this year, I have noticed a few things about Huntsville. It is a beautiful town primarily populated with pragmatic people, namely engineers. Don't get me wrong, I have a unique love for engineers; my father is one, and I am married to one! But this town also needs more creative people. So, here I am.  After earning a dual BA degree in Art Education and Photography from the University of Kentucky (UK- GO CATS!) and an additional degree in Interior Design from Samford University, located in Birmingham, I am officially ready to kick off the start up of Sarah Cruze Designs.

My husband is my biggest fan of what I do. What is that you may ask?  Help clients make their house a "home"....by choosing all the right colors and designing with simplicity.... Help organize client's homes and de-clutter the non essentials....  Ready client's home to sell for more profit and in less time, AKA home staging....  Photographing special moments, precious faces and breathtaking landscapes. Additionally, I study pretty handwriting and am a self-taught calligrapher.... So if you want those wedding or birthday invitations to go out in style, allow me to hand-address them. Oh, and I design logos, too! If you are in need of any of my creative services, just call or write me:

This summer, I have the pleasure of coaching the Whitesburg Tide swim team, teaching swim lessons and managing the Whitesburg pool (yes, I was a collegiate swimmer at UK, too!). Interested in joining Whitesburg Pool or following the swim team results? Check out the Website:  http://whitesburgpool.org/.

I will still be available for design consultation appointments. I will post project "before and after" photos as they come. In the mean time, I'd love to tackle your design challenges or photograph your little darlings, or not-so-darlings ;-)... Just give me a call to set up an appointment! 256-655-3667 + sarah@cruze.biz

thanks, 

Sarah