Say it with red and pink.

We girls recently had the happy opportunity to host a Valentine’s Day luncheon for the ladies at our Church! Our Church is small on the people side, but big on the love side.

It was so fun to plan our menu. The main course was manicotti, French bread, and salad, with three different yummy desserts — homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cream Wafers, and Creamy Strawberry Dessert.

Our pastor’s wife supplied the drinks (raspberry lemonade and water). We decorated each place with a special party favor bag, complete with candy hearts, red & pink Hershey kisses, and York peppermint patties, all tied up with red and white twine.

We dipped into our Mom’s vast (and gorgeous) collection of vintage tablecloths for all the tables, and borrowed her ruby red vase collection for all the flowers.

We had mood music on (of course). How is it that music softly playing in the background can make such a difference??

It was such a wonderful experience for us, and a great time was had by all! It’s amazing how taking just a couple hours out of one Saturday to spend time with others can be so refreshing. We are already planning our next luncheon (picnic theme!), and can’t wait.

xoxo Apphia, Achaia, Abigail, & Abiah

A Fabulous Friday.

Happy Friday, everyone! Since Nan left on Wednesday we are going to spend the day thinking of all the things we love (we miss her so). xx

PS All Lakehouse fabrics are 20% off through the end of the month… enjoy!

{Kristie's picks}

1. KL linen

2. I love this CD

3. my fleece lined slippers

4. Cheerios!

{Apphia's picks}

1. giant flowers make me happy

2. Yes, please

3. I'd love this Anthro jacket for chilly end-of-winter and early spring days

4. my new favorite blush (and it's on clearance!)

{Abigail's picks}

1. the perfect graphic tee!

2. my new favorite skirt! I think I'll wear it all summer long!

3. I simply adore my grandpa, Paps! I love and miss you and Nan!!

4. Snowcones! I'm ready for summer!

{Abiah's picks}

1. Bangs… I love mine! Thanks, Nan!

2. Boden is so cute! Love their florals!

3. I like this quote

4. Converse tennies… these are so cute!

{Achaia's picks}

1. I love the vintage costume designs on the wall

2. Lately I have been inspired by everything that involves handwork!

3. this is the best chocolate.EVER

4. my best flea market find ever… a framed Rocky poster!

snow.stitch.snow.stitch.snow.stitch.snow

Brr! It's cold outside. We received our first snow of the year Thursday, more Friday, and more yesterday. So, you might say we're snowed in. Abiah and I went out Saturday for a little fresh (chilly) air, and I did get talked into sledding (which dressed for I was not) on a plastic trash can lid shaped thingy. Now I have proof of it — big bruises on my shins. Ahh.

So, while being stuck inside we've watched quite a few movies and listened to loads of music, especially Christmas-y ones, decorated our tree, and I've been stitching, stitching, stitching by the fire.

Keep Warm! xoxo Achaia

Music to Sew By.

You know, awhile back I told you all about my embroidered pillow project, and made you guess where the title came from. I really had intended (cross my heart) to give away the answer sooner than now, but everything got in the way. Today I'm finally giving in!

Several of you guessed it was a song of some kind, but no one was sure who sang it. Until, of course, my Paps (via my Nanny) informed us that it was a country song by Hank Locklin that came out in 1958. He was right. I should have known he would know. "Who sang that song?" – ask Paps "Did such and such sing with anyone else?" – ask Paps. I could go on….

However, I was thinking of the Dean Martin version that was released in 1965. Both were extremely popular. So, there you have it!

Is there anything in particular you like to listen to while you sew? Anything you like to watch, do, stand on your head (that would be impressive) while sewing? I'm a definite movie watcher when it comes to handwork. Anyone else? I'm usually sewing to the hum of the dryer or one of us yelling to someone from one end of the house to the other.

Off to do some yelling….Happy Wednesday! xoxAchaia

A Fabulous Friday

{abigail's picks}

1. My gorgeous AMH home dec fabric from Quilt Home

2. One of Amy Butler's newest bag patterns. I love it!!

3. This adorable cardigan from Lands' End Canvas in blush

4. Rich Mullins – especially the song My One Thing

{apphia's picks}

1. My new favorite bag

2. I love Grace Kelly

3. I love the all-American theme of this outfit, and I want to try out the vintage scarf in my hair!

4. I think having one brick wall in your bedroom is so awesome

{abiah's picks}

1. My shirt from Target!

2. This awesome movie!

3. I love S'mores… and these are too cute!!

4. Glitter that I got for my birthday. It looks a lot like this!

{kristie's picks}

1. A fellow Hoosier

2. I love this movie!

3. Texas

4. My kisslock clutch wallet

{achaia's picks}

1. I'm so excited about this big tote that I'm making

2. Anna Maria Horner's Field Study fabrics!

3. Top Notch cheeseburgers in Austin, TX

4. Vintage swimsuits

Now, now…. what are you taking pleasure in today?? Happy Friday! xoxx

A Fabulous Friday

Here's what we've been loving! How 'bout YOU??? xox the Long ladies

{achaia's picks}

1. suitcases piled high (the higher the better!)

2. my new sweater… I can't wait to get it in the mail

3. Frank Sinatra

4. Oxfords – anyway you cut them, they're fabulous

{abiah's picks}

1. braids in my hair…

2. good food

3. my new maxi skirt from Boden!

4. dancing

{kristie's picks}

1. buttons, buttons, and more buttons

2. Cath Kidston fabrics

3. one of my favorite movies

4. a bit of humor

{apphia's picks}

1. the perfectly happy pink cardigan

2. cutest ponytail ever

3. maybe someday…

4. I've got to try these

{abigail's picks}

1. love this combination!

2. my new tee

3. the bunting that Abiah & I made for our room. We love the word LOVE.

4. our littlest friends

Titanic 100

The Titanic 100 was a perfectly wonderful experience in every way! We still haven't stopped talking about it yet. We gathered with a little under 600 people in Branson, Missouri, to remember and honor the heroism displayed on Titanic's decks as she went down.

There were lots of wonderful events that we were so happy to be a part of including a special trip to the amazing Titanic Museum, visiting with many reenactors, wonderful lectures by some of our favorite speakers, a screening of A Night to Remember (which you really need to see!), a special children's play commemorating 'women and children first', music by Charlie Zahm, the San Antonio Darlings, Paddy Walsh and the Boilermakers & the boys from Third Class, and many more!

The wonderful event culminated in a fabulous White Star dinner on the Branson Belle showboat as we cruised around Tablerock Lake, at the exact moment Titanic struck the iceberg that sent her down. Most of us in early 1900s-inspired clothing, naturally. We girls were so happy to have the opportunity to make our dresses for the occasion, and pull out some of our vintage rhinestone jewelry. And, Mom got to wear her paternal grandmother's haircomb and maternal grandmother's rhinestone pin. Dressing for the occasion was just icing on the cake!

As we said earlier, the whole experience was beyond wonderful, and we are so thankful for the opportunity to have joined in. It was definitely a few days to remember always!

Hope you enjoyed a peek at it! Hugs– xoUs

A day (or two) to bake.

It just wouldn't be right to not take some time off from the normal day-to-day happenings and bake for Christmas.

Of course, that meant making some puppy chow, icebox oatmeal cookies, traditional sugar cookies, peanut butter balls, peanut & chocolate clusters, fondant, peanut butter fudge, and M&M cookies. Yes, that's quite a bit. My hands still smell like vanilla.

Would you believe we forgot to get sprinkles when we went to the store?? Our bad. It was quite sad, as we always like to use green & red sprinkles, plus red hots. We made up for it by scrouging around in the cabinet for green sprinkles left over from last year. Oh, and a few sugar cookies boast multi-colored sprinkles left over from our ice cream sundae desserts.

And, naturally, while we cooked we ate cookie dough before it was baked, sipped coke, and listened to some of our favorite Christmas songs from years past, along with a new one or two.

xoxo us

December favorites.

Some make us laugh, some make us cry, and some just make us feel warm and fuzzy. What are your favorites?

xo, the Long ladies