"If I gave you a sweater, and you loved it, I would know because you would wear it so much you'd be on the verge of wearing it out, because you loved it that much. It would be the sweater you wear on Christmas and to get coffee and that you sleep in sometimes and that you drag around in the back of your car and tie around your waist. It would start to smell like you, and it would get snags and get all stretched out, and just looking at it would make you tell a thousand stories of where it's been and who you've been in it.
That's what I want my life to be, like a well-loved gift. I think life, just life, just breathing in and out, is a great gift. God gives us something amazing when he gives us life, and I want to live with gratitude. I want to live in a way that shows how much I appreciate the gift. If life were a sweater, I would wear it every day. I wouldn't save it or keep it for a special occasion. I would find every opportunity to wear that sweater, and I'd wear it proudly, shamelessly, for days on end.
...and I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift, who will use it up and wring it out and drag it around like a favorite sweater."
Cold Tangerines, Shauna Niequist p 231-232, 235
I LOVE LOVE this book! If you haven't read it, it needs to be the next book you pick up! Seriously. It literally played a big part in how I view my daily life. And what I quoted above says it beautifully.
I want to celebrate today. I want today to be the best day of my life. Not yesterday. Not that day 5 years ago. Not waiting for tomorrow. Or the next. But today.
Today is the only day that I know I have. Yesterday is gone. Today is here, and I want to live it to it's fullest. To enjoy every blessing. To see this day the way God sees it.
I have concluded that if today is going to be the best day of my life, I want to wear my favorite outfit. To wear it "proudly, shamelessly, for days on end." (Shauna Niequist)
So that leads me to my "sweater" -- right now for me, its my sweatshirt.
In my confusion of what my wardrobe actually is & what style I actually am... this is my favorite because it is the perfect combo of who I am.
Here's the how to:
(mine is an XL from Walmart -- fits boxy-- length is good in the arms + really wide, but not long- comes just bellow my belt-- which is what I wanted)
.tiff)
2. Find + cut lace.
I had an old vintage tablecloth that I had found at a thrift store.
Here's what to do if you are cutting your own lace:
-find the 2 sections you want to use
-cut out your selection with fabric scissors -- mine are 10 in. length (5 in front, 5 in back) + 6 in. width
*I cut the inner edge by my neck straight, all other edges I cut around the pattern.
-run fabric glue around the edges with a q-tip (or your finger) to seal the edges from fraying
*If I were to do it again, I would find a thicker lace that is maybe even cut in the shape that I want -- I thought about using cloth doilies.
3. Place the lace on the sweatshirt, pin it in place. Then take a section at a time & glue it down with the fabric glue. Make sure you do the edges well + places inside the middle of the pattern so that it stays flush on your sweatshirt (you don't want the center to be flopping around). Press down as you go along. Let it dry & you are done!
*The fabric glue turned my lace a little yellowish, which is why I suggested to find a thicker lace -- I'm assuming it did that because it was old & thin. So hopefully if you use a thick and/or newer one you will be fine! But I don't mind the yellowing anyways, it just makes it look even more vintage.
*PS I literally have worn it the past 3 days in a row since I made it.
ok, I don't think it can get any cuter than this!! Red windbreaker, t-shirt & pin striped pants! I'm so excited for our boy to wear this I can hardly stand it!
2. made 
3. now, I needed a string to add some excitement to the suit... I went for a very old suit I already had, and pulled out the long string that connected the two pieces together-- very easy!
