A very dear "virtual friend of mine is having a give-a-way and this is how it will go:                           OK.. this is how it will work:I am going to add one thing to the giveaway every day until the 10th of October, that is the 3rd Year Anniversary of me becoming a BLOGGER. You can enter on each and every day if you wish, that way you will end up with *10* chances to win everything!
If you 'advertise' my GIVEAWAY on your blog.. that will get you another entry... you will need to let me know if you do this... but you only need to do that once OK?
If you are not a 'Follower' and become one, that will get you ANOTHER chance to win! But again, you will need to let me know in a comment that you have become a follower!
I will draw the winner (only one!) on the 12th of October, that gives everyone on the other side of the world time to enter!
DAY ONE: this cute New Zealand carry bag : http://diet-coke-rocks.blogspot.com/2009/09/another-giveawayand-teeth.html

This apron was for a friend's daughter that teaches drama and one of her favorite colors is black and of course her passion is theater and "her kids".
This is the package of what that pattern looks like.It really is a fun project and one that is simple enough for even Me to understand. ~smile~
This one was for my daughter-in-law and it says all things about country life.
I really liked this one in blue with critters all over it.
I liked this one too. It is for another friend's daughter - who loves Owls and has just moved into her first apartment. She really was thrilled to have a unique apron that nobody else had one like and that thrilled me.
But this one turned out to be my favorite. It is for a friend in Tenn. and she loves her kitties. I purchased the yellow fabric at a quilt shop ralley and turned around and won the blue checked fabric as a door prize. That was the second thing that I had ever won in my lifetime. LOL!

O while I was visiting around this morning I ran across this site and it has a few free patterns that you might enjoy?http://justsew.com/create/free-patterns

PJ's for Granddaughter

This is the pattern that I started with. I used flannel for the pants and a knit for the top.
I really like the shirt part because it goes together different from any other knit top I have done , up to this point. But, I think I got them too large. I am always afraid that they will be too small and figure if they are too large I can take them in OR just in case they grow as I make them several months before Christmas. I do a lot of " keeping my fingers crossed"!!!!
I embroidered a unicorn on the shirt - hoping to send my graddaughter some "magic". I think , maybe I have always believed in some "magic" in life because when we stop seeking what is pure magic - the world gets to be such a dark and dreary place. I love to see all the "little " things that are magic to me: the flash of a child's smile, the dew sparkling like diamonds, a rainbow with all its glory, the green grass in the summer that turns to brown in the Winter, living from one season to another and watching everything change, watching my flowers break open with the joy of life , the love I receive from all of my animals, the smile from one of my friends or making any of my friends (virtual or not) laugh and enjoy the day , listening to our creek bubble, watching my goldfish streak across the pond, seeing the sun get up each morning  and watching the moon come out at night? These are just a few to show that I find magic all over the place and I know that you guys do too because I believe that you have to believe in magic to be creative like you all are-we are so blessed.

Handtowels , If you please?

I think that everybody likes things for their kitchen. Something about the bright colors just makes it feel homey. Here is the link with the information:

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/sewing/towel-topper.shtml
They have a variety of patterns that are free to give you some inspiration.

             

Four Corner Apron for a Nurse

This apron is for my neighbor/childhood friend who is the dedicated nurse. I found this Lori Lee fabric and knew it just had to be for her. I added the pretty red heart buttons for trim and to help hold the triangles down. I ran across this Momento that rings true to my heart:
The History of the Aprons

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that , it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the over.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chick, and somtimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When compan came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. 

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. 

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up teh road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and teh men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before somone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so man purposes.

And this is the way I remember it too - what sweet memories they are!

Loveseat Upholstery lesson

This was a very cool lesson for me. As you can see from the picture the little loveseat was a red checked fabric . I had got it at a second hand store about 15 years past and it had seen a lot of heavy use. I had been pondering how to give her an update and one day I ran across the blue upholstery fabric at  the Restore  - part of humanity efforts. I managed to purchase the roll of blue for 5.00 and right away I had "another dream" ! I mentioned it to Lynne and she said she would help me. I was thrilled to death. First we went to work cutting the red off  to use as a pattern and of course it was very dirty as years of use. I told Lynne that since it was sagging when you sat on it I would like to give her some life! I managed to get some foam to give more stability to the seats and then Lynne taught me one of the Most Important parts of the project ! The secret was to use a cover over the foam and Then add your uphostery fabric SO it would give when someone sat on it ! I went to the Goodwill and found a used sheet and off I went. Lynne was dead on ! Eventually it made it work SOOOOO much better than anything I had ever tried in the past -when I had attempted to cover a futon.  We cut out the pieces from the blue and I really doubly loved the blue -now that it was coming to life. Then Lynne had me sew about a hundred miles of bias using the blue and a piece of cord in the center.(Well - it seemed like a hundred miles!)

Lynne knew all the tricks of sewing everything together. I will always say that it sure helps to know how to sew all of your projects inside out and upside down and backwards ?????????????????

But , thanks to a gifted , generous friend I now had a new look for a special little piece of furniture.

The Magic House

Sorry I did not post last night, but I had been to the doctor and he started me on a new medicine and it knocked my lights out!

This little house is magic to me - It is on a country road that we take to go to the fabric store. For many years I have been taking this same road to this little town in the mountains of Floyd, Va. and I had never seen this little house. Hubby said it was because somebody USED to park a school bus in front of it. But when we had a car wreck last year and had to travel the road each day to go to our chiropractic treatments - ALL - of a sudden this little house appeared and I fell madly in love with it. It's sweet face called to me and I had to stop and admire it. It sits at the start of the road going up to a bigger and grander house , so I was worried that the owner would be offened? Still I brought my camera and took pictures of it. I don't think they use it for anything anymore, you can see the broken window on the front, but still I love it. It gives me great dreams about Who might have built it and for what purpose they had in mind for it. Surely anybody who could create such a lovely face on a little house - must be a very special person???? I do not know anything about its history , I only know that every time we travel to my favorite fabric store I say Hello to a very dear friend who makes my day special just by being there. I bet there are many adventures that we all share - only because of FABRIC!

The Four Corner's Apron

This is another one of my "Happy" projects. I love doing things that people can use and not just catch dust. I love this project because you can customize the position of the ties for people with different body types and I have enjoyed working with cottons. Cottons seem to be very popular  , they are readily available and I ADORE all the pretty colors and designs - seems like something for everybody.  Lynne had taken me on a trip  called a "Quilt Ralley" and we had such a ball of fun! At one shop all the ladies who worked there had made a Four Corner's Apron and were wearing them. That was when I noticed how each apron looked so nice on each different lady and each was a different body type. I was really stunned. I love aprons too, but have seen some of them make ladies look fat and frumpy and I hated that . But this apron is not like that at all. 

http://www.vanillahousedesigns.com/p132-four-corners-apron/

This is a link that will show and tell you more about it.

I am really quiet a dummy when it comes to understanding a new pattern. I try to remember what Lynne told me about READ everything carefully the first go round and try to get a picture in your head. Then she told me to ALWAYS take it one sentence at a time - so you don't get overwhelmed. But this pattern I could actually wrap my head around -so I can guarantee that it is sensibly written.

My Boo-Boo for the day

This is my main project of the day - it is a laptop sleeve That I worked meticulously on. I cut out my rectangles of main fabric and then lining fabric. Then I picked a cute little buzzing insect and added Buzzing Along. I cut out my strap and turned it rightside out and then figured out how to insert the flap and the lining. After I turned the project inside out it was looking good so I added topstitching and that was when I notice my disaster!

My piece of fabric that I had used for a lining was nice and slick-so that the laptop would slide in and out easily and I thought I had it made but now that I was finished the material was disintegrating before my eyes. Both side seams just fell apart and the place where I had put the strap was already eaten away just from the pressure of the flap moving. I was absolutely heartbroken.

HUMMM? So, I guess my buzzing along - didn't buz so well. Since I had used a vinyl for my main fabric I think it would be very difficult to tear it apart and not wear out the holes from the first stitching. Shoot, O well, maybe it was not a lost cause- I sure did exercise my brain and they say that is so good for you. ~smile.

I thought I might add , just in case some of you have not visited : http://www.e-patternscentral.com/list.html?cat_id=145&source=EUIE6AH - that they have some interesting sewing patterns for sale at decent prices.I thought since Christmas is barreling down on us that we all can use inspiration.

Potholder fun!

Here is another project that I really enjoyed. I know there are probably a gazzilion ways to make potholders, but this is the way that Lynne introduced me to and I really enjoy it. You  use a  8 1/2 square to cut out your square pieces and we used OLD towels that still have a lot of life left in them - so they become reborn as hard working , comfortable  new potholders. I like potholders that are comfortable and not those ole stiff things that you cannot wrap around what you are trying to hold on to. 

I probably have always had a love of potholders because when I was crocheting I used to make one of my dear friends potholders all the time until she finally told me - NO MORE POTHOLDERS!  LOL

That yellow piece of fabric really won my heart right off the bolt. It has a funny kitty cat on it called "The Muffinator" and it made me think of another one of my dear friends -we share a love of our kitties and she is spunky - so the colorful , vivacious print made me think of her.  I would really like to meet the person who designed this fabric to be able to tell her how happy it makes me everytime I look at it.

The Flying Chicken

The flying chicken is one of my favorite  fun projects I have attempted. Here are two links that will give you more information.

http://www.vintagevogue.com/onlinestore/item6499.htm
AND
http://www.susaglenndesigns.com/The_Flying_Chicken_Kit_p/57.htm

I think these will describe them and where you can order kits.
My beloved Lynne - enjoys pin cushions and when I ran across this project I thought this might be perfect for her and they were so cute, then  I thought for others also. I mean shoot, anybody who likes chickens and works with a needle , thread or scissors can always use something to keep up with your tools. As I started mixing and matching colors my little flock seemed to take on a life of their own.Then the beading project is like doing a different hair do for each little hen - not counting beading is what makes her little feet and each one turned out so unique. Talk about live and learn!

Back to the cotton flannel lounge pants for the family.

The camo pair is for  a grandson and the other pair is for hubby. IF I were to call them PJ's they would never touch them, but call them lounge pants and they jump right in them and "LOUNGE" . LOL

I love learning different things about the fabric I am working with and this is a tidbit I found today:

Natural fibers:

Absorbency and porosity are common to natural fibers, making them responsive to changes in temperature and humidity and comfortable to wear in a variety of climatic conditions. Less desirable is the fact that natural fibers such as cotton have limited resiliency, so that the fabrics made from them tend to wrinkle. Cotton occurs as a relatively short fiber called staples. Before fabric can be constructed, the staples must be spun or twisted into continuous strands called yarn. The fibers are then sorted for spinning, the longer and shorter lengths are usually separated. The longer staples make the best natural fabrics (identified as combed for cottons, worsted for wools). The fibers are taken and spun into one long piece of never ending yarn which is placed on long spools, then the fibers are stretched and re-spun over and over for strength. From this process and onward the fibers are then loomed into a kind of web work that is densely woven thread by thread to create cloth.
As opposed to: Synthetic fibers, which all begin as chemical solutions, forced through tiny holes into a chemical bath or air chamber, these harden into long ropes of fiber, called filaments.

Here is one of the sites I found that has a nice variety of flannels:
http://www.flannelworld.com/show_other.php?filter=60

But this is one of my favorite sites that I am dreaming of purchasing fabric from:
http://www.fabric.com

They even had a sale and offered the free shipping for an order of 35.00 and I worked hard picking out the perfect order. Then I got cold feet and decided to think on it overnight. YEA right ! By the next day when I checked - all the fabric I had picked had been sold - SO - I did learn IF you really want something it is like being at a yard sale - if you see it and want it  - you better GRAB it right then!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Birdcage cover.

I sure wish my "math" skills were better tonight. I had to make a birdcage cover for my sister-in-law . I had already made one for her granddaughter and did a pretty decent job of it, so I did not think I would muff it up too badly. The only problem is I got so tired. There just is not enough hours in a day for me ! I had spent most of the day cleaning house and doing laundry -getting ready for my sister-in-law's visit tomorrow . Cleaning house is such a mystery to me? When I was young and first married and worked 6 days a week I always took that one day off and cleaned our mobil home and in one day I could pretty well clean it from top to bottom and get ready for the next week. But NOW that I am older - IF I can get one room cleaned in a day - I am doing good - and I hate that. If I could clean one room a day and take a day off on Sunday I would just have to start all over again the next week??? But I do realize that I do not have as much lifetime left as I started out with and I dream of doing more than just cleaning house - although I do wish I could keep a clean house????????? Yea right - with dogs and cats and birds and chickens and a donkey and sheep and a husband - well you know how that goes. Then you throw in cooking two or three meals a day and cleaning up the mess - it leaves very little time for my "sewing love and creativity" .

So back to the cage cover and being really tired - I am not really a math whiz and I measured her cage and added to it to allow for seams and enough room to handle it - But as you can see - it is REALLY a snug fit. I was kinda hoping that Maybe it would stretch a little bit with time and use???  If it does not I will offer to rework it. I am just too pooped and still have a gazillion things to do . If only I did not have to eat and sleep - I would do so much better and accomplish so much more. It is something about this "being human thing" that makes it tough to accomplish everything I would like! LOL

Nurses and Totes

It all started because I have a friend , who is now my neighbor - that I went to school with . She was the sweetest little girl and ALL she ever wanted to be - was a Nurse. I mean she knew this from the time we hit first grade together. She never wavered in her passion! By the time we hit high school she was already working in our local hospital as a "candy stripper" . By the time we graduated high school she was on her way to nursing school and I was following my dream of working for a veterinarian and following my passion for working with animals.

I always admired her passion. I don't think I saw her until years later when I ended up at our emergency room with pneumonia and Patty was the head nurse. She was like an angel to me and I never forgot her kindness. Then a few years later she moved out to the country and into a house just down the road from me. It was such a blessing to have a school mate close to me although we still hardly ever get to see each other. But it seemed like our school friendship just took off like it had never been sidetracked all those years and when they asked us to house-sit for them while they were gone on vacation - I was honored because I loved her animals like they were my own and she paid us very generously. I wanted to show her how much I appreciated all she had ever done to help me and my first idea was a small tote bag that she could use to carry her lunch and since she was a nurse I could customize it with cute embroidery. Then I got carried away and made several so she could carry other "stuff" or she would have them as gifts for her nursing staff .

It is indeed my honor to have such a wonderful friend and I am so proud of all that she has accomplished with her life and the long hard hours that she has put into "molding her career" and taking care of others.

Customing Jeans again

Here is another one of those customizing jeans projects again. It was so challenging for me to sew straight lines so the belt and those pieces on the end of the legs will look nice and straight and hang right. I like the red and white colors against the black denim. I am not much of a fan for skulls and roses , but then I am not a teenager anymore. lol  This was one way to "spiff" plains jeans up without having to do a whole lot of "ripping". You could use any theme of fabric related to the person you have in mind.

It was a challenge pulling this project off. I am in counseling from a wreck (post traumatic stress) where a teenager hit us head on a year now past. I ended up with a concussion and whiplash that I have Hated for the last year. But for the past year every time I HAVE to get in the car I get car sick and a headache. So now I hate to get in the car. I also showed up with Fibromyalgia and I have learned to despise Mr. Fibromyalgia. It has been a long hard lesson along the way and I do my share of whining (smile)

Hubby and I HAD to get in the car on Monday to go to town and I ended up with the worst headache and I Could not shake it at all. It escalated until I was in tears and that does not help. Then Tues. I must have spent my first day in a depression - it was a terrible dark place to visit. More tears from the headache and a hopelessness that settled into my spirit. I called it : "getting lost in my mind" - I could not even figure me out anything to eat - even through I was so hungry. I started thinking about all the people who I have hear about that have depression and my heart went out to them. No matter what the cause - it is a terrible dark place of the soul - and I wished I could fix it for all of us.

My husband and I walk every evening  and I knew that would help. It is a real battle because of the pain from Mr. Fibromyalgia but I know with every step that I am making progress. We make it two miles now - we were doing 5 miles this July and August  - but I keep a picture of a "nursing home" in my mind's eye - because that is one place I never want to be - so I keep on struggling. I knew yesterday If we could only walk it would help - Even though we have to ride to the park and I Hate the ride. I think it is a shame because I used to enjoy the ride and see all of God's beauty along the way. Now, being car sick just beats my spirit down.

I knew today would be a day of help - because I have an angel that is labeled , counselor.That might be her earthly title - but to me she is an angel and after an hour that is no more than the blink of an eye  - she had calmed my tears and eased my headache for the first time in 3 days ! What a relief.

I think one of my lessons I am working on is that Everybody - no matter who they are : is struggling with lessons on this earth .And many of us use creativity for a release .  I applaud your struggles and your successes as I believe we are all out here together -doing the best that we can do.

You very talented , creative ones are such a blessing to me as the wondrous things you create brighten my world and light my path as we go on.I may never see your creations but I can feel your struggle with your chains of heartache .  I may never see you in person, but I do send you love and appreciation for all that you do. Thank you each and every one for sharing the heartbeat of our Mother Earth.
Hugs to all of you because I know each of you are so gifted and so unique in your footprint that you leave as we go along this walk together.  Much love and hopes for wondrous days ahead.
The Sewing Granny

Test sewing an embroidery design

My friend that I make the tee shirts for has started to learn how to digitize embroidery designs and I am SO very proud of her. I would love to learn how to do this process, but between money problems and this "learning problem" that I have -where facts do not stick in my head like they did when I was young?  I really need to see something done in order to get the hang of something new. There is so much to learn in our wonderful world- and Always something new being created. When she asked me to test sew out a design for her - I would honored and I think it turned out very cute. I ended up hanging it on my wall -another one of my "Art" forms that I like on my sewing room to remember to count my blessings and my wonderful friends, but if I still had a little girl in dance class - it would have been so cute to put on a tote of some kind to carry her dance essentials in?  Or maybe to put on a tote for a friend and add :"Dancing through life"?????  as that is what we all seem to be doing - one way or the other!

Flannel lounge pants

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Well, it's time to get back on those lounge pants that my family likes so much and I can't say that I blame them. Nothing better than to come in tired and dirty -take a shower - crawl into your "lounge pants" and relax with your family. "wish I had a pair that would work that kind of magic for me". lol - you know- instead of cleaning up the kitchen, making the coffee for hubby in the am????? LOl

One thing that tickled me was IF I called them PJ's - nobody would even touch them - BUT - call them lounge pants and I have even seen them wear them to town to Wally-World! LOL

Just the mention of lounge pants puts fear in my heart! They are such a challenge to me. How many times have I sewed them together all wrong and had to rip them out??? Well, let me tell you - it is more times than I have ever sewed them together right - the first time! Maybe I am just gifted in "REDO"!!!!!!!!!!!

But flannel is fun to work with - I like stroking its soft texture and dreaming that I will do a project right - Maybe?????

Another point that I have finally almost mastered is that belt. The pattern just calls for a slit and I do not like that because of the constant wear and tear on the hole so I came up with the brilliant idea to work a button hole  and I do like that much better. I am also getting better at using those "fast turn tubes" for turning the belts. I sometimes think it would be easier to cheat and just use a cord. LOL

http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/sewingclasses/board.pl?t=7577
Here is a link to a variety of opinions and uses for the fast turn tubes. 

Babies and embroidered burp clothes?

Well, what do you do when your best friend's daughter needs a "baby gift" and you are between a rock and a hard spot - AND - don't have much time to pull one off?????

Thank goodness for some of our wonderful sewing Yahoo groups that are always so generous with their ideas? I remembered back to when my babies were small and the ONE thing that I used most -NEXT- to diapers , was burp cloths. My first baby was a projectile burper who could bomb a preacher 15 feet away and all your friends stayed a good distance away from you -with a dangerous weapon like that.

There are some of the cutest designs out there , thanks to many talented digitizers and that made it fun pulling it off. That is the one thing I totally adore about embroidery machines - you can turn a plain piece of fabric into something special - whether it be a burp cloth Or a quilt. The world is your oyster, as they used to say -but right now I could use the pearl. lol

I also got to play with my serger and decorative threads and I really like that also. What a wonderful world it is out there - to play and make pretty things for others.

That was the way I pulled it off then, but I also found this idea for a different path to take:
http://www.vanillajoy.com/burp-cloth-tutorial.html I would like to try this too.

I did wonder if the ones I made will last as long as the ones that a friend gave me for my first baby 36 years past - and I am down to the last scrap of my last one and the memory of a wonderful friend . ~smile~

Birthday Angel Shirt

I am still learning there is a whole world of information about knits. I wish I had someone to guide me through. And to make it even more difficult lots of fabric have No information on the ends of the bolts - it just says of mixed origin??So that leaves me with just touch and friends that allow me to create for them and then share feedback to me. It is a slow way to learn and I only have half a lifetime left to learn it in. ~smile~

This fabric was what I would call a medium weight and it had a LOT of stretch to it - so I was hoping since it was cold weather that it would make a nice shirt for this friend's birthday in March. I started with the xxxl tee shirt pattern and added my version of long sleeves - hoping all the time that I was coming up with a length that would be somewhere near correct? This feeling in the dark is rough . I enjoyed the little angel design and it was because my friends are all angels to me. I got to play around with another stitch from my sewing machine for the neckline- holding my breath once again to try and keep it from wobbling all over ! Surely - Friends- are one of our most important gifts in this life.

Property of My Cat

I have an angel of a friend who likes to sew and loves her cat family.She and some of her church friends are making quilts to give to the homeless in her area. I wanted to surprise her for her birthday and I ran across this really sweet , funny kitty embroidery design. Since her cats do "own" her instead of the other way around - I added the Property of for her. She wears an xxxl shirt so I have a pattern that I have customized to make it just for her, but I started off with a tee shirt and then added my own interpretation of a long sleeve to it, for the cold weather. There are a lot of "mature figure women" and I would like to create clothing that makes all look good and feel good at the same time. I would dream of having my own line of larger sizes that would make others happy . I get so upset when I see some of the clothing in the stores that always slap a big stripe across the middle to make it point to the "larger" part of a female bodies! Like they do not want to look as slim and nice as they can! But it takes knowledge to make things happen - and I always have to learn everything the hard way. Thank goodness that I have friends who let me practice and learn.

I even got to practice with one of the fancy stitches on my sewing machine - around the neck. I spent the entire trip around the neck - holding my breath - trying to hold a steady hand and not get too crooked.

Unicorn fleece hoodie

the Unicorn is a mystical creature of hope and possibilities and who among us cannot use more hope and possibilities? LOL

My youngest greanddaughter loves Unicornes and I embroidered one for her. This particular piece of fleece drove me nuts! I washed it before hand just to make sure it would not shrink any - then I read afterwards that fleece does not shrink?????? If this is true , I wish I had known before hand Because when I took it out of the dryer it had little, hard spots all over it like when you melt a plastic bottle and it leaves those little plastic threads that fly everywhere ! This fabric had that ALL over it and I was SO mad at it because it was for my granddaughter! But I took a brush and brushed it really good and it helped a lot, but I was so miffed at it!I had never had that happen before and I pondered Why?



I ran across a site that has all kind of information on Unicornes and their legends:http://www.unicornlady.net/legends/legends_of_the_unicorn.html

Grandson Hoodie and Dragon

The East seems to value dragons for their magic and beauty. They were held with high respect from the people in the East. However, this view is drastically changed in the West, where dragons were viewed as monsters.

I did visit a couple of places online like Http://www.draconika.com/ to research a little of dragons history and then http://www.draconian.com/frameset.htm which had some beautiful art work. Maybe we are drawn to them because of the vivid colors and the passion for life - like our young people have?

All I know for sure is my grandson enjoys them and I enjoy making him happy. I went with the black fleece as to not show dirt as easily and also because he had jet black hair and I think it looks handsome on him.

My First Granddaughter

That first grand baby is always such a thrill , kinda like your first ride on a roller coaster, something you never forget. You think you are helping to raise them , but maybe they are raising us?
I very seldom get to see mine and when she told me that here lately she loved the color green - I found this pretty green in the fleece department and embroidered a rose on it for her. I did some research about colors and how they affect us and this was what I pulled up about green:

How the color green affects us physically and mentally* Soothing* Relaxing mentally as well as physically* Helps alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety* Offers a sense of renewal, self-control and harmony. This came from : http://www.squidoo.com/colorexpert and it had all kind of fun information about colors - which fascinates me.

Grandson that is a Whiz with games

One of my grandsons is a "whiz" with games. I have never seen a game beat him yet. There were times I wanted to sponsor him in some of the game contests, but never had the money to pull it off. I love to watch him work and wish my reactions were anything like his. I don't think these young people realize how nice it is to be "born" in this technological time and they just take it for granted - while us older folks struggle to play catch up - just in some of the simple things that computers do. But I am beginning to think that each generation feels that way about the younger generation.

I wanted something warm for Christmas and he likes hoodies - so I found this cute design of a computer man and his computer to make it special , just for him. lol

Granddaughters can surprise you

I have a granddaughter who loves lavender and for some reason she also loves kola bears. It just puzzles me why kola bears - she has never met one in real life and we certainly do not have any kola bears in our back yards over here???????Maybe for some reason I do not understand - they just call to her. One time I was pondering a very deep quandry as I was driving down the road. It just seemed I could not wrestle an answer that suited me. As I drove I started to notice monster sized Hawks sitting on the fence posts , about every fence post each one mile marker for the next 30 miles. My rational mind knew this just could not exist - and I started to research and ran across the theory of "Animal Spirit Guides". I went on a search to understand and the message I received was perfect for my decision. That was the time I started to realize that all things in life are not just plain Black and White for all people.



So now that I have pondered my granddaughter - I did look up the spirit guide animal and this was some of the quialities of the kola bear:Koala's Wisdom Includes:
Ability to climb over obstacles
Recognizing the value of slow movement
Ability to remain above the fray
The power of yoga
Helpful advice giver



I guess I will just have to live and let life work out its own mysteries while I just try to offer love.

Hot Rod Grandson

I have a young grandson who was 10 and all the kids in the family seem to really enjoy '"HOODIES".Since Christmas comes in cold weather I thought maybe they would all enjoy a hoodie that did not come from the store and each one would be unique to each personality. I always have trouble with the "males"???? I wonder sometimes if it is because I was not born a male nad it makes it hard for me to figure them out? But since this one's Dad is in to anything racing - I was hoping that would makes this one special to him. He is a dark headed handsome young lad and I liked the way he could keep him hands warm without keeping up with gloves. Sometimes I feel like it is kin to shooting a bow and arrow - I aim - but I wonder if I "hit my mark? " lol

When your heart falls in love with a fabric?

That was what happened to me when my eyes fell upon this piece of fabric. I was smitten - that simple and no denying it. It was the same feeling like when I had fallen in love with the fabric for my purse - SO I must really be drawn to these colors , and then of course there was all these articles that were related to "SEWING". It was like running into a great friend - they just made me bubble inside with anticipation.

I could not figure it out and I have SO Far I still hope to go on my sewing journey.I would have loved a shirt , but not have that ability yet - SO I plunged in and took it to Lynne for her insight. I conned her into taking half - I mean, what sewing mentor does not Need a new piece of dreams ??? She caved in - and agreed that we both would tackle an apron. I love when she agrees to that because we really are both so different and that is what makes it so much fun. I ended up with the long apron and she did a Short apron with pockets - like opposite sides of the coin. lol I had some left over so I went for the potholders with the towel inserts (because I love those soft -easy to manipulate potholders) and the sweet pincushion that Lynne had the button and the ribbon to top it off with -like a lady with her hat. We both now had real treasures to share and the memory of a day spent the greatest way you could spend a day in my book - doing something you love with a friend. How close to heaven can you get?

Having fun with another blog

How about some fun with friends? Susan from : http://hangingonbyaneedleandthread.blogspot.com/2009/09/friday-favorites.html
has invited us to play with her. She is going to offer up a Favorite of some kind for a Friday and we are suppose to post our answer either on her blog or ours.

This week her choice is Favorite Movie?????
I will have to go with her favorite choice also - The Wizard of Ozz
I too share some of her memories of hiding under the covers from the evil witch and monkeys and eating Jiffy popcorn! That wonderful time of innocence and wonder! Something some of the children from now do not have. Really makes you count your blessings.

Baby Burp Cloths

Aaaaah! Just the word "baby" brings back the memory of small angels who come into your life bringing wonderful sweet new smells , lots of hugs and kisses and NO SLEEP for the next few years of your life! The memory that you will never be waited on first for a VERY LONG time in your life - if ever??? Lots of nights spent rocking and cuddling until you think your arms will fall off OR you will fall asleep first and drop your little bundle of joy into the floor! Or dressing them up as cute as can be to take them to church only to have them projectile upchuck all over the preacher and his wife - UNTIL- all humans learn to holler Hi, or By to you from a great distance. The great joys of teething and colic and baby shots where they run temperatures of 103 and turn your hair grey with worry. Our greatest treasures are ALWAYS needing something that you cannot plan on - love -food - clothes - school projects? All the struggles you tackle to keep your little bundle afloat until they turn 13 and all of a sudden they do not even know who you are and they have to turn a hundred to realize how smart you really might have been???? LOL



Yes, the joys of embarking on Motherhood? That was the quest of my best friends young daughter and all these memories ran through my head. I am really glad it is dedicated to the younger folks because I just do not have enough strength and energy to tackle such a monumental occupation once again. It is definitely the greatest job you will ever love!



So I pondered what would be something the young mother could use and of course Many burp clothes popped into my head from my memory of the projectile upchucking in my past and I went to work on a project I had never tackled before. My thought being that maybe hers would last as long as some of mine from 36 years past that I still use to dust and clean with- Nothing like a great diaper - except for maybe a great story! lol

Horse Wallhanging

Once upon a time a great friend gave me a beautiful piece of fabric with horses on it - and Horses are one of my weaknesses. All sizes , colors , breeds and personalities - they are all magical creatures to me and it doesn't matter who they do or do not belong to. When I was a teenager the movie , The White Stallions - came to our town and my most wonderful girlfriend talked me into going to see it in our little theater. I think she lived to regret that decision because I cried most of the way through that movie and embarrassed her to death. ~smile~

Just to look into their mystical eyes and feel their soft breath on my neck always brings goose bumps to my spine. I love the deep inhale of that wonderful horsey smell and to touch that soft velvety muzzle makes my heart fly with joy. I wish they could all be treasured and have happy lives - like I wish all people could.

But back to the magical piece of fabric that fell into my lap - I was so stunned by this beautiful treasure that first I buried it deep in my stash so that Every time I needed to dig through my stash I would have to run across it and ponder what was its purpose yet to be? It always made me think of two tapestries that my Mom had bought for me 32 years now past. I still own them and they are still on the walls in two of my rooms - one being my sewing room! And every time I gaze upon them I feel my wonderful Mom's love and the love that I have for these animals.

One of my dear granddaughters had reached her teenage years and she too started liking all things horses. She had this freaky thing hanging on the wall over her bed and I heard her say one day that she did not like it and OF COURSE that bell went off in my head! I knew where my beautiful piece of fabric was intended to go for her birthday! I found the green sheet at a thrift shop and sewed both right sides together with the batting inside -turned it right side out and finished up with some pretty quilting stitches and tabs and my horses now had a new home- to a young lady who has her own dreams galloping towards her. ~smile~

Husband's wallet

After I showed my hubby the wallets for the grandsons, he showed me his wore out wallet that he has carried for years. I sat down and sketched out a resemblance of his wallet - leaving out a couple of slots. This was one of my first experiments working with plastic. It was a clear piece of plastic to go in the center . That was when I discovered that plastic likes to STICK to your sewing machine and your foot - since I did not have a Teflon foot! I did learn that you can insert any kind of paper between the plastic and anything it touches and it will then glide through.

We also have a friend who used to be a Awesome Bass Fisherman , but rheumatoid arthritis has stricken him down in his prim, so I chose this fish fabric to make him one too. I hate arthritis
because it cripples and destroys life!