It’s all about seeing things with new eyes.
Whether it’s our relationships, our situation, our home, our job, or even our old clothes. When we adjust our vision, or what we focus on, magic happens.
For instance, I love my husband dearly, but his office drives me crazy! It’s cluttered and messy. Crumpled papers litter the floor. Half full coffee cups take up space around the computer. Piles of paper and envelopes are strewn about the desks and on chairs. Things are out of place and it drives me NUTS! I used to look at all of this and get mad. After all, I spent two whole days cleaning and organizing all of this. I bought new furniture, shelves, and all of those office organizers that promise a beautiful office to work in. So you can imagine my disappointment when it gradually became cluttered and unkept again. I would immediately become furious every time I walked by and saw the unruly state of his office. I would often wonder what was wrong with a man that could live that way.
I had to adjust my vision.
When I did, magic happened.
I looked at how he chooses to spend his time with new eyes. I began to see how he has his priorities straight. He is a wonderful father and husband, he faithfully spends so much quality time with our family. He is a good friend, willing to spend his free time on weekends helping them with building projects. He is a good neighbor, always available at the drop of a hat to help someone in need. He is a good community member, donating his time to build things like new dugouts for the baseball teams. With an agenda like that, who cares if there isn’t time left over in the day to keep his office clean.
I now see him with new eyes.
When we were building our house, I was guilty of seeing all the things that weren’t accomplished yet. When I adjusted my vision, and began to focus on all the things that were completed instead, I soon became amazed at what had happened in a short amount of time.
I love it when someone reminds me to change the way I see things. As the new half time teacher was leaving at lunchtime one day, I commented that I was jealous she got to go home. She turned right around, looked me right in the eyes and told me that she was jealous that I got to stay. Oh how right she was! How lucky am I to have a full time job that I love these days. It’s all in how you look at it isn’t it.
Take this long, ugly, plain, shapeless dress, that clings to all the wrong places on my body. Let’s see if magic happens when we look at this with new eyes.
Beautiful color, comfortable knit fabric, so many possibilities.
It’s all in how we look at it, isn’t it. I can’t wait to wear this to school tomorrow.
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So amazing! You have a beautiful, expert eye for luxe refashioning. And your comments about your husband are so on target! I would not know where to begin, cleaning up my husband’s study. It is (in my opinion) out of control, not to mention, a big eyesore that I walk past every day. Lo and behold, on a day after Christmas, after he had made many things for other people in his shop, and several sets of shelves to organize other rooms in the house, he found that he had some shelving materials left over, and decided to make some for his study. Totally his idea, totally his plan, totally his placing things where he wanted them to be, and what a difference. When I realized all the time he spent doing things for other people before doing something for himself, I was impressed with his service ethics, not annoyed with the temporarily scattered condition of his study.
Thanks, Jeny! Isn’t amazing what we can see when we are looking for different things. Sounds like our men were cut from the same cloth. Good guys!
Have a great week!
Beth
Great message! Thanks for sharing. I have gone through the process of seeing things differently. Keep sharing!
W/a Smile, Tiana
Thank you, Tiana! Amazing things can happen when we change our focus.
Happy Sunday!
Beth
Brilliant! You have amazing vision!
Thank you, Sandy! Such a nice thing for you to say!
Beth
thanks for the reminder that your attitude is a big chunk of how you see things… and we need to shift it more often than we think! and your new dress is lovely! love the deep saturated color 🙂
Attitude really is everything, isn’t it. Have a lovely week my friend!
Beth
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such a great idea!! Very clever!
Thanks, Gramma Jackie!
Great post, Beth. How about a curtain refashion? I just bought 18 yards of fabric to sew some curtain panels for my bedroom and don’t know how to create pleated drapes or something other than simple pole-top drapes, which is too casual for the fabric I chose. Do you have any ideas or guidance you could share? I’ve never done grommet drapes, either.
Now that’s a tough one, My friend Linda is amazing at making drapes and roman shades. Too bad she doesn’t have a blog. Curtain making isn’t my expertise. Sorry, I couldn’t be of more help.
afternoonartist, if you google pinch-pleated drapes you should be able to find some instructions or a video. (Also, there used to be a special “tape” about four inches wide, with pre-sewn pockets, available – you sewed it to the top of the panel and inserted a three-prong curtain hook into the pockets, which created the pinch pleat – not sure if this is still made or not. I think my age may be showing :)) Good luck!
Thank you, Jo!
What a lovely post . . . in every way! Thank you for sharing, Beth!
You are so sweet. Thank YOU for your kind words!
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So beautiful! I love the color and the fabric. You and your husband are a lot like my husband and me – only we have the opposite roles. I am the messy person and my husband is the orderly one. I appreciate all his orderliness and he keeps me focused on things. He appreciates my creativity and I get him to take chances and be spontaneous! It works – 🙂
There is a lot to that saying that opposites attract! I think it would be dull to be married to someone just like me. I agree, our differences keep life interesting. 🙂 Happy St. Patty’s Day!
Beth
Oh, this hits home, Beth 🙂 This is one of my biggest challenges. I try, but I think it will always be a struggle!
Your instructions are beautifully clear, I keep meaning to tell you that.
And that dress! It is striking!
Today I cleaned and oiled my old faithful sewing machine (30+ years old), and replaced the needle. Now I must go try it out and see if that ominous squeak is gone. I hope so, because I’ve been missing sewing.
I think it’s a daily struggle for most of us, Jo. I know when I get frustrated with someone or some situation, I try to remember that I can’t force another person to change. The only thing I have control over is my view of the person or the situation. That’s when the magic seems to happen and usually situations change for the better.
Good luck with your sewing machine, I’d love to see some of your creations.
Happy St. Patty’s Day!
Beth
Great reminder that I needed to hear. Thanks for that. I adore this refashion too! 😉
~Jen
I think I need to be reminded of this on a regular basis. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Beth
Beth, have you seen the quote: It’s not what you look at, it is what you see!
Hey, Jakki! Great quote! I need to go back and put that in my post!
Yes Beth! Our hearts and minds can be refashioned too! This is beautiful and so encouraging. It’s usually that whole perspective thing that can mess us up at times. Thank you so much for sharing your heart and this beautiful refashion. The color is amazing. The v-neck and ruffle are cute and dainty. Great job once again!
Thank you so much, Tamika! I love that, “Our hearts and minds can be refashioned, too”! Would have made a great title for this post. Have a wonderful day!
Beth
I don’t see why you couldn’t use it for a future post (wink-wink). Lol. You have a wonderful day too.
🙂
Hi Beth, You do such lovely work- I read your posts over at refashion co-op. Did you know about The Summer Of NO Pants? Marigold likes to have some refashion posts, and I thought of you! You can read more here: http://www.hideousdreadfulstinky.com/2013/03/sonp-2013-sign-up.html
I’ll go check it out. Thanks, Adrienne for thinking of me!
You are welcome! =)
Yes! I could see you doing a summer of no pants, since so many of your refashions are dresses and skirts! 🙂 Love,
Amy Jo
I almost declared this the School Year of No Pants… I’ve worn dresses on most days, even on cold days, I wore tights and boots.
Way, way , way, more interesting and attractive with ruffles. Kudos!
Paula
Thanks, Paula. I wore it to work today and it was super comfy!
Love the message as well as the dress. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank YOU for your nice comment! Enjoy your week!
Beth
wow! This is a true transformation, I don’t even recognize the old dress. Really amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you , Nellie! It is a ver comfy dress now.
Have a great week!
Beth
I LOVE this dress! Awesome transformation =)
Thank you, Kristin!
Beth
I stumbled upon your blog tonight and I am so glad I did. Seeing things with new eyes is exactly where I’ve been living my life for the past few years! Now you’ve inspired me to dust off my sewing machine and add a new segment to my blog! Thank you!!
You are so welcome, Tondra! Have fun sewing again!
Beth
That’s awesome! Thanks for the tutorial. I will definitely be implementing this soon!
You are so welcome! I can’t wait to see your sweater dress!
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I hit my local Goodwill every Wednesday morning in search of beautiful clothes that don’t need any altering, but after seeing this on Pinterst last week I went with new eyes in hopes of finding something I could up cycle. I got in there and couldn’t think of one thing I could re-make so I had to come back to your blog for more inspiration. I love your ideas. I especially love your purple ruffle dress and Valentine cardigan. So cute!
Thank you, Chrissy! Good luck in your quest for refashion ideas. Let me know when you find something. I’d love to see what you do with it. Have a wonderful weekend!
Beth
Can you explain in detail more about how to cut the ruffle? Circle within a circle…do you fully cut out the inner circle? or cut across the white part of the life saver shape? Thanks.
Hi Linda,
Yes, cut out the middle of the circle. And yes, cut across the wide part of the life saver shape. Let me know if this helps.
Beth