Uncle Charlie

     Uncle Charlie was my Grandma Stewart's brother. Tall - so very tall - and so kind & gentle. We always loved seeing Uncle Charlie when we went to visit that side of the family. And we loved to hear the stories they would tell of times when they were younger. Such funny stories ..... stories of times so different than now (they grew up in the late 30's and 40's). My grandma passed away in 2005. Then we got word on Friday that he was gone too. Rather sudden - but then, death is rarely expected. We'll be heading down tomorrow for the funeral which is Wednesday. Dad will be performing the service, my sisters and I singing. We'd appreciate you prayers.
 

With Uncle Charlie at my cousin Lauren's wedding (Jan. 2013)



Silhouette Series

     I was editing pictures from the weekend wedding last night and just fell in love with these! It was one of those crazy busy times at a wedding where you snap something that's just happening across the room from you (the bride & groom snatching a moment to themselves) & then you don't even have time to look at them or decide whether you actually got something worth having. As I came across these last night, it was just wow, so much expressed here.

Busy Week

Wow, what a busy week this has been. Of course, for us most weeks are busy. However, these pictures were taken on Tuesday and I really thought I was going to get them posted that day, and here it is 5 days later and I'm finally getting to it. Tuesday was a beautiful Spring morning - warm & sunny - as Spring should be. Something we've seen very little of this year. Anyway, we were outside for a little, Amelia playing with Boots (as she does every day) and she had her camera out. I borrowed it from her and snapped a few. (These are a little fuzzy, coming from her camera)

Yes, we have a very lazy dog.

Amelia took this one - Boots decided to sniff her camera when
she was taking the shot. When she showed us later, she could not
stop laughing, she thought it was so funny. (so did I)

I did a wedding yesterday. It was a beautiful wedding and I'm really happy with what I got. It was absolutely out of the ordinary weather-wise. It was an outdoor wedding, or supposed to be. The unseasonably cold weather (55 for a high) and blustering high winds, required a move inside. Nonetheless, we braved the cold for outdoor shots, and got some great pictures - can't wait to show them to you!

The Remodel

So I promised some photos from our remodel. These really don't do it justice. You can't see everything that's been done!  I have tried to document at least the living room - from the way it looked when we got it, to what it looks like now.  We still need windowsills (hoping to get those next weekend) and it still needs hardwood floor layed. The floor won't happen until everything else in the house is done.



As it looked when we got it - frayed paneling, leaky windows, dirty ceiling



This was sometime in February. Ceiling slats have been screwed in, new windows (and more of them) installed, and everything insulated.

Sometime in March. Ceiling is now painted (and believe me, it was hard work!), everything has sheetrock & working on mudding & taping.

How it looks now. All the walls mudded & taped, painting all done. Just waiting for windowsills (we even already have our shades) and flooring later on. And yes, the window is opened crooked - didn't notice 'till now.

     Megan's room is all done except for flooring & windowsill too.  Caroline & Laura's room is the same way. My room isn't even begun yet. We'll start an add-on after this is finished & we're moved in. (I'll be bunking somewhere in the meantime. Haven't quite decided where yet - perhaps in the huge closet <smile>)The kitchen is getting there. Pretty much everything done now except for plumbing & cabinets. Should get those sometime next week. <Super Big Smile>

Megan's Room - looking rather messy right now. We're putting up a light fixture today & then after cleaning it up, it only lacks a windowsill & carpet.

The Kitchen - floor looks horrible right? Can't wait 'till the hardwood is laid. Windowsills, trim & cabinets should add something as well.

Our best "helper" Amelia

She's in Caroline & Laura's room here - hard to picture their room just now, it has so much stuff in it!

We've been busy.....

     Did I ever mention we're remodeling a house? Yes, and it's a lot of work. Of course we knew it would be. This won't be the first time. ;) No matter how many times you do it though, it always takes much longer to finish than you want it to --  or think it will -- or could ever imagine it dragging on!  Anyway, this particular house is not a rental property as it most usually seems to be. It's actually our house - one for me & my three sisters. We're super excited - just a little impatient!
     I was hoping to have pictures of our remodel - but we're busy preparing for company this weekend, so I've had no time. So in the meantime, here're internet pics we're using as inspiration.



Love this alcove bed - unfortunately we don't have
enough room to do this in our house




I want to do this in my room - love the look of
paneling/bead board with paint up above.




The color on these walls is about the color of our living room





Caroline & Laura are doing this look in their room with
the white iron beds and very white look all around




Their walls will be this color turquoise though,
we're also doing this color in the kitchen

      The colors we're going with are Cream, Turquoise, White, Coral & Tan. The bedrooms are going to be carpeted, but the living room & kitchen will be hardwood. We even have a big old antique tub for our bathroom (thanks a billion mom & dad!). So far, the bedrooms & living room are almost done.... finished. The bathroom has a lot of work left (still stud walls) & the hall & walk-in closet are not close to being done either. The kitchen is getting there. Aaron is trying to get the cabinets installed next week and after that the kitchen will be pretty much done except the floor. So, hopefully I'll have pictures coming soon of the real thing!

To All My Readers Out There



Taken at IPS in 2011 by Benjamin Derkin


     Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by. I love blogging and do so whenever I can, about whatever is going on at the time.  I love showing life through pictures. It's always been a passion for me to "make my pictures speak". Not just for me, but for everyone else too. So that just by looking at a picture, you can see a whole story. Like these books. For that reason, I will probably keep on blogging no matter what. However, I had also hoped to connect with you, my readers, through my blog. I love meeting new people! I know there must be quite a few readers out there who visit fairly often, but I have no way of knowing who you are. So, here's an invitation to introduce yourself ......Leave me a comment - or drop me an email (rachel@silhouettestudios.net).  I hope you all will take a few minutes to let me know who you are and why you stop by.  Looking forward to hearing from you soon.....

~Rachel

Passion Week & Resurrection Sunday

     We spent the past week studying, pondering & discussing the week of Christ's death, burial & resurrection. We read passages each day of that days' happenings so long ago. It really brings home the magnitude of all He accomplished not only in His death & resurrection, but in the events leading up to them. Then of course we had a wonderful celebration yesterday! What a wonderful, loving, God we serve. Praise His blessed name. (I really didn't take many pictures, here's the few I did take.)

At church

With her new duck

The last of those at church visiting

Not the best lighting, but the dog was being hard to deal with and I just snapped

He just licked her face :)

The two of us