the search for the perfect pup.

my little sister michelle is turning 10 in a few days and what she wanted more than anything else was a pet.

we narrowed down "a pet" to "a puppy"

and we narrowed down "a puppy" to three very special pups.

pup 1 (above) was a pound puppy.

so very cute and sweet...

unfortunately we had no way of knowing how big she was going to get, and we were really wanting a tiny dog.

pups two and three (above) were cute little papillion pups.

they have the biggest ears...and are just precious!

i don't know if you've ever heard of a papillion...but apparently they're a very old breed...and it seems that marie antoinette had one that went all the way to the guillotine with her.

(no they didn't guillotine the pup too.)

p.s. we got puppy three. her name is millie and she is a doll...we've had a LOT of different dogs, but this one is already definitely in the top three!

tinfoil kite.

lately i've been a little crafty obsessive...about anything from blanket forts to kites.

i really, REALLY am dreaming of making a kite that's absolutely perfect and flying it.

alas, there is no wind...and have not had the chance to make one as of yet.

so there's only one thing to do...make a fake one from tinfoil at freebirds.

it's kind of magnificent.

(i made the bows!!)

and according to a reliable source...it is still hanging there.

pretty sure if our real kite turns out as amazing as our tinfoil kite...we'll have the best kite in the whole entire universe.

of blanket forts and pies.

have you ever seen anything quite as magical as this beautiful blanket fort??

no?

i thought not.

some tea sipping, blanket fort building, list making, barbie game playing, apple pie baking, and all of the usual frivolities and whimsical fancies that are to be expected at a slumber party.

i think it was possibly the most beautiful thing i've ever seen/been a part of.

final thoughts.

now that i've shared some of my stories pictures of the joplin trip, here's a short video i made using my 8mm camera app.

i'm totally in love with the way it looks!

after radio interviews, television interviews, and even newspaper interviews...i'm pretty used to answering any questions about joplin pretty quickly.
however, this hasn't changed my attitude for joplin and the stained glass theatre!
i've still got such a heart for this place and these people.
i had NO idea this summer would bring so many new friends...in a completely new state!
what a blessing.
being able to do something i love (theatre) to help other people do something *they* love (theatre) is very exciting!
God has already set in motion things from this benefit...not only for JOY, but the stained glass theatre now has a temporary building!
through this benefit/trip i've also grown so much closer to my fellow actors/actresses.
i've seen all of their beautiful hearts in this project...and i'm proud to know each and every one of them.
this project has brought *me* closer to God, and i've become a stronger prayer warrior.
so many prayers...so many answered prayers.
it's a wonder to see God work so clearly right in front of my eyes.
i can't wait to see what God has in store next!!

xo,
rebecca jane

of yellow doors, movie projectors, and old trucks.

one of the nights we were in joplin, we were invited to an old barn to watch cartoons on an old movie projector.

on the ride over there i saw many of my dream homes.

check out the yellow door.

is that not magical?!

even more magical was the amazing movie projector.

one day i WILL have one!

it was soooooo amazingly fun.

and watching cartoons has never been quite so funny or entertaining.

how could the night get even better?

seeing this DREAMY turquoise antique truck!!

can you say dream car??

maddy and i "ooo-ed and ahhh-ed" until we were literally shoo-ed out of the barn by my mom.

it was a magical night.

wall of hope.

in joplin there's a BEAUTIFUL graffiti wall called "the wall of hope."

isn't that a beautiful name?

volunteers from all over america have signed with wall.

and our group is NO exception.

Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) "If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me."

isn't God cool?

finding verses like that that would usually mean one thing...but can also be totally relevant to something else.

when putting on "the importance of being earnest" our goal was to perform to an audience of one:

God.

bowling night

while in joplin, we went to $2 bowling night...it was a BLAST!

i hadn't gone bowling in ages...so i got a little lesson.

check out what happened my first try!!

i'd like to say that was only the beginning of my many victorious strikes...

but it wasn't.

i'm a miserable failure at bowling.

i will say, however, that i get strikes at VERY opportune moments.

and i got another one later...

right after being told i couldn't.

it was a lovely moment.

however...it was SUCH a blast.

i nearly went hoarse that night from screaming.

and i did the splits after every "bowl." 

(splits as it slide until i can slide no farther and then struggle back to the upright position)

ahem.

and guess who's headed to go bowling again...in just a few minutes...

yes.

that's right.

me.

*wishing for more amazingly victorious strikes*

do you have any tips for me??

the orange leaf.

the first night we arrived in joplin, we headed over to the "orange leaf" to meet some members of the stained glass theatre. 

in case you don't know...that's the theatre in joplin that was destroyed that *my* theatre group has been raising money for.

it was so great to finally meet some of them...and we hit it off real fast!

this place had a lot of my favorite things:

frozen yogurt

nutty bar toppings

orange spoons

and bright and colorful walls

YES PLEASE!

in which we cleaned and organized...and were glad to do it.

we're back from joplin, mo!

i have so many memories carried with me from this trip.

and all of the amazing friends i spent this time with.

it was a lovely week.

going to joplin wasn't just to perform "earnest" (though that was our main objective). 

the church we were staying at had been housing thousands of volunteers all summer long, and were sorely in need of some help cleaning up.

there was much sweeping, cleaning of windows, etc.

the church also housed a very large distribution center, where LOTS of donations were constantly being left to give to the tornado victims.

thus, there was much organizing of donations as well. 

morgan and i tackled the diapers...and, with assistance from others, created a very lovely display...organized by size and everything.

we were very proud of the orderliness of it all. :)

this is how we spent tuesday and wednesday.

and we were SO glad to be able to help this church.

however...this was only the beginning of our many adventures.

stay tuned for more!

antiques are my one weakness.

i love antique shopping TERRIBLY.

and...i found some of the COOLEST antiques at my new favorite antique store!

i didn't get EVERYTHING i found...but i just HAD to have a few! :)

take for instance the above robin hood book...

cutest book EVER!

these are all the "unpurchased but greatly desired" items.

especially the yellow bike!!

but, oh! the store was closed...and it was probably only a display item anyways.

*sob*

i also got some fun other things...

but a few are to be given as gifts.

and i could HARDLY share them quite yet.

:)

5 happy things - blanket fort style

thanks to my friend maddy...i've become terribly obsessed with the idea of building a blanket fort.

not only have i been saving pictures like crazy, but putting things together to MAKE one!!

we have the perfect location.

the perfect tools to build one.

and now all that remains...is to make it!!

(it's on our summer list)

but for now...here are some of our inspiration pictures!! :)

the ukulele. the teapot. the typewriter. oh my.

all of the adorable sheets make this perfection.

bunting and giant flowers?!?! yes. it's going to happen.

loooove the lights draped around the inside.

such a cute slumber party idea...! no...i haven't grown up.

costumes, shows, and food.

those are kind of my three favorite things.

add friends...and it's the best day EVER!

after a lovely "importance of being earnest" rehearsal on thursday night, the girls in the cast (excluding one who was on vacation) came over to my house to have a mini-slumber party!

we had a blast playing the barbie game (MADDY AND I WON...of course).

eating lemon bars.

and watching the lovely gene kelly in brigadoon.

*swoon*

on friday, the whole cast of "earnest" got together to go try on costumes...! 

eep!! it was the most fun EVER!

we are now fully costumed...and we all look super turn-of-the-century.

afterwards we went to grab some lovely (late) lunchies.

that afternoon/evening we got to see two shows at the artisan theatre.
exciting nexs...WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO PERFORM EARNEST THERE!!!
we are so exceedingly thrilled about this wonderfully opportunity we've been given.
AND we got to tour backstage!
in between the two shows we saw...we took one of the guys in our cast to starbucks to try something (he's never tried ANYTHING there)...needless to say, he loved the drink we picked out for him.
we even named our drinks after our characters in earnest!
such larks!

i love this cast mucho.

special fourth of july giveaway!!

happy fourth of july!!
in honor of america's (and my mom's!) birthday...two lovely etsy stores have agreed to collaborate with me in creating a wonderful giveaway for you!

this week i've partnered with restless hearts crafts and the little illustrator to bring you this amazing giveaway package!

i am absolutely in LOVE with both of these stores...you should definitely check them out.

restless hearts crafts is a collaboration of treasure hunting and sewing.
they have been so kind as to offer these ADORABLE bunting napkins!!! 

(bunting is my new favorite thing.)

the little illustrator is an etsy store that sells unique and custom art work and t-shirts with original prints.

you can win any two prints from their shop! 

to enter:

1) become a follower of "sewing in the past" (worth one entry)

2) "heart" the "restlessheartscrafts" and/or "thelittleillustrator" etsy store (one entry each)

3) leave a comment and let me know your favorite "restlessheartscrafts" and/or "thelittleillustrator" item (one entry each)

4) heart your favorite item (one entry)

5) twitter, facebook, blog about this giveaway (one entry each)

or

6) just comment on this post with contact info.

please leave one comment per entry so all of them will be counted.

good luck!

giveaway will end friday, july 8th at midnight.

the barbie game!

there's been a certain classic family game that i remember playing all my life.

it's called...the barbie game.

it's a reproduction of an actual game from 1961! 

mom, michelle, and i have been playing this game all week. 

and i must say...i got a pretty fab hand the other day:

president of the drama club. 

going steady with tom.

and wearing the blue gingham to the prom.

life is good.

i've yet to win this WHOLE week...but i'm off to play again.

wish me luck!!