The Sewing Granny

A Gift

2012-02-10T18:58:00.000-08:00

A gift is something given from the heart with no expectations of anything in return.That is what I received in the mail from my E-buddie, all the way from Oregon~ I said we were almost as far away from each other as you could be in the good ole USA I on two opposite sides .

Her name is Jodi & she is also a pro at packaging things .I could not find one little inch free space in the little box. The bright red in the back is a toilet seat cover & I love it . I have been wanting to make some of them for a few years now.The little black square in the back is a REALLY neat potholder. Matter of fact I have never seen a heavy terry cloth potholder before . It is so nice and soft & flexible & she embroidered a cute little scarecrow .

On the left back is a pattern for a purse that you change out the covers to have you a new look for your purse without all the trouble of pulling everything out . Neat idea. The brown on the left is napkins & a checked hand towel. I saw a demonstration with a towel that looked exactly like that one & the gal had used something she called paint sticks. She painted a banner on it & made it look like a wrapped package. They had a rubbing board with designs on it & you laid it under the front of your fabric & then rubbed the design you picked. It certainly did transform that fabric.

She had also taken a black piece of fabric & then rubbed blue & copper flower designs on it & you would never have guessed it started out as just a plain piece of black cotton & she sewed it into an apron. The top was different from any I had seen . It made you think of a halter top but with a waist band sewed on & the bottom skirt part.

O, check these out - aren't they just the cutest! I am thinking I see place-mats-maybe? What do you think?

The characters are so cute & they really pop from that black fabric

I am just so in love with this gift. They are some of my favorite colors & I LOVE the way she embroidered the center insert . Up close that red pincushion looks real enough to make you want to pick it up & use it. The bobbins are so pretty too-but you know how it is -ANYTHING SEWING is a good thing~ The two green strings on the sides are to tie it up with -so basically it is a book that you can tie up. Now for the insides~

There are pockets on both front & back of the inside of the "book" & the pages are made of heavy duty baggies~ How Neat is that! I am totally in love with it. Matter of fact I am so in love with it that I do not want to use it & get it dirty! LOL

I will definitely keep it around just to admire it for a while . It is made a lot like an idea I have been thinking about - the same basic design only shrink it down much smaller & have the plastic pages to store your flash drives in? What do you think?

And , last but not least check out this chargeable scissors!!!!!!!!!!!! I had my doubts but I went ahead & charged it over night for the 12 hours it called for . They are manufactured by Black& Decker & I do have faith in them . I was VERY CURIOUS to get my paws on them this morning for a "test drive" .Would you believe they work like a charm! They just purr though fabric like a knife though melted butter! I was totally amazed! They are very light weight & easy to handle & are wonderful for my painful hands! Talk about a winner!

There is no way I could ever repay her - but I can certainly appreciate her kindness & generosity & thank her for a grand education!!!!!!!!!!!

Aren't friends just so great!

Debbie's shirt

2012-02-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

What a pleasant surprise this morning after a little rest- this shirt that I had thought I had sewn the neckband on backwards was on right & all I had to do was adjust it on the hanger! LOL What a treat. I have also learned that it is Very difficult to photograph a XXL & up size shirts . The pictures just do not do them justice .

DH had to get up early this morning to take our youngest son to the hospital where they inserted needles into his spine& it always leaves him in so much pain-not counting the pain of the injections.

I had been outdoors almost 3 hours doing all of my morning chores & also now working with the wood stove. I had filled it full & that took most of our woodpile, except for some that our young friend , James had cut up for us. So, I knew I needed to start learning these things to be able to take care of myself. He had left his little truck on the pasture side of the fence so I went for my morning walk & came back to it. It was sitting in a hollow . I walked all around it & then walked over to the 3 different ways to get out of the hollow. Two of them scared the hogwash out of me & the last one was the one that I decided to go for , as I had to decide on ONE.

I slide in the seat & turned the key & she kinda grunted at me -as if telling me that it was too cold this morning & she just was "not in the mood" to fool with me. So, I sat there for a few minutes pondering ????????????
As I calmed myself it came to me that DH used to say IF he would just turn the key a few times that would send the juice to the fuel pump & give it a chance to spritz some fuel to the motor-so that was what I did & I got a longer grunt. I knew I should not keep cranking & run down the battery, so I sat for another minute& then remembered when I had my Nissan truck that I had to gently pat the gas ONE time. Any more & it would be flooded . SO, I did that & she finally rumbled to life. I had to sit there a few minutes because if you attempt to drive her - she will always die & you have to repeat the whole process.

So we were finally ready for our trip UP the hill & around the trees -back down into the hollow. There is one place along the hollow that scares me because it is washed out & I have to be very careful to straddle it . My last 100 feet of the journey is down into another hollow where the wood pile was located. I was too scared to go on the path that DH takes because it makes the truck tip over . I stayed in the hollow & was lucky that the wood was on both sides of the hollow . I only had to move a couple of pieces so I could get through & turn around -then I started loading the pieces that I could lift. I learned FAST that I could not lift the big logs & believe me my shoulders are letting me know about the ones that I did pick. So, I rolled the big ones around to were I could find the smaller ones . I decided any that were over 12 inches diameter I could not work with. Finally I had a truck load & I made the return trip home. My next obstacle was turning the truck around & BACKING through the gate & into position in the little shed where the stove resides. I am not a good "backer"-never have been & after not driving for 4 years I was very rusty. I went slow & PRACTICED backing using the truck mirrors.(something I have never been able to do). I would go slow & then stop & study the situation & take stock of my progress. FINALLY I had reached my destination - WITHOUT having a disaster. I was tickled.

I now know why DH always has such rough hands when working with wood. It seemed to soak the moisture out of my hands & I even had gloves on. I bet it took me about an hour to unload the truck & take the wood in the shed & stack it for tonight. .

I came back out & it Hit me that I needed to clean out the vents on the stove . There are 6 of them - & you take a rod & run it through them from outdoors through the stove into the fire box. .We have a new metal brush to do that with - but neither of us can push it through - so we have a homemade rod with a handle & a small pulley on the end of it that we push though - IF WE ARE LUCKY. It is HARD work. I had been heaving & begging a& pleading with it for a while when DH pulled up in the yard. I was down to my last hole & not making much progress with it, maybe because I was not POOPED!!
With his help we got it accomplished & I was tired & cold & hungry . This heat issue is going to give me trouble - I need a battle plan. Maybe I can "dream - up" a solution.

So, I feel like I have accomplished a LOT today when you include the breakfast & clean up & another load of laundry accomplished & hanging out on the clothes line.
I have got to get ready for our sewing guild meeting after while . Lynne picks me up & I appreciate her so very much. I am glad that she does not mind driving - I am such a lucky bird to have a friend like that. :-)
Love to all
linda

Tracy's bird shirt

2012-02-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

Well Shoot! I was trying to capture the snowflakes whizzing down-but they must not want to co-operate. But those "bleeps" are snow-flurries & I told them to hurry up & flurry on by. LOL And they did -by noon when DH had his doctor appointment they were REALLY big & beautiful as we made the trip. I enjoyed seeing them so much - especially since I knew they would not stay.

DH's doctor is so nice & he was really UPSET that DH had not received his medicine yet - making it over a month without the cancer meds. The sweet lady who works on paper work took me with her to phone these people -it turned out that they had tried to call us -but where our phones have been OUT OF ORDER for two weeks now & the phone company just will not fix them. It is disgusting to pay for a service & then when something goes wrong they can just do as they please-which was NOTHING.

I was so glad to get home . Our youngest son & his lovely wife bought us some groceries so we stopped to pick them up & see them & the baby. Golly - BABIES sure do heavy ! I could barely lift the little guy. Our son was on the couch -down in his back. Tomorrow DH is taking DS to the hospital to have shots put in his back & both of them are dreading it. I despise it because it seems there is nothing that seems to help him. Two years & he has been in this TERRIBLE pain -with no relief - also two surgeries & each doctor says the other one made a bigger mess of his back than the other one. How do you ever figure out who to believe? DD-in-Law told me that her insurance oked work on her teeth & they are going to pull All of her teeth. That breaks my heart because she is just in her early twenties. I had managed to hold onto mine until I turned 60. I really MISS them . I am one who loves crisp-crunchy foods & I had just learned how to crack the walnuts that our trees bear. I thought I was going to have a neat winter eating walnuts in everything-but NO. The only bright spot I see for Meagan is since she is so young-maybe she will learn how to use them -better than us old folks????

I told DH that I managed to keep my big mouth shut when I almost let it slip that those shots in the roof of your mouth are one of the most awful things I have ever experienced. Then DH looks at me & says that they did not do that to him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could feel my horns grow -??????

It was dark when we got home & we are low on wood . I managed to pull some down to the stove & then the new flashlight that DH got for Christmas went dead on me- leaving me out in the field trying to lock up the chickens with no light and no moon tonight either! GRRRR! I had just charged that booger too! Seems like everything these days are JUNK.

I did manage to pull off one more tee shirt for the oldest daughter in law? She has a birthday in July so I am not for sure if this shirt will be for that or Christmas???? Probably the birthday.

This is another piece of fabric that I got for Fabric.com & it is a cotton knit -which I really prefer.

This is the cute little "quirky" birds that are on it. I thought I would be "smart" since I only had a few minutes left & I SoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO neatly fixed the neckband for a second shirt. I REALLY did a fantastic job on it too- I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Proud of myself until when I hung it up to admire my work - which was now sewn on backwards -with that nice big seam shining right up front! So, I guess you know what my next meeting with it will require- yep - that old froggie that sings rip-it, rip-it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

New Lounge Pants

2012-02-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed working with this cotton knit fabric. It behaved itself for me. I am always grateful for that.LOL

Yesterday was a bad day for us. DH was in so much pain in his stomach. I called his cancer doctor who told me to take him to the emergence room where they could run tests. We were there 12 hours-went in around lunch time & came out very late. When we first started neither of us wore a coat -but both of us wished we had one as we headed to the car.

I had chores & then worked on the wood-stove. Thank goodness it still had coals so I could coax it back to life. I was so distraught that I could not sleep. I tossed and turned & woke up at 3AM & the house felt cold so I boogied outdoors to check the stove. It was hungry once again & I turned the fan back on & headed back to bed.Then I tossed and turned for an hour & a half. I decided if I did not go to sleep in ten more minutes I would get up and sew. I knew I needed the sleep as I had one of those "lack of sleep headaches". But I got lucky & those ten minutes sent me off to dream land once again.

Today we went to the country to get our dog tags to make our furbabies legal for another year. That is one burden off of my mind. We came on home & worked outside with the firewood & my critters. We were doing good until our eyes met & we both started to cry. The hospital had been bad news that his distended tummy -the one giving him so much pain - is the cancer & his lymph system , plus more in his reproductive system. Seems like it is going every where. It is so hard to see someone you love suffering.

I kept thinking today that there is so much that I do not know how to do because he has taken it over .I got a bright idea to see if I can video some of the things that he does & file them so maybe I can figure it out when I get in a pickle. (one thing that I AM really Good at!) ;-)

I was attempting to get a close-up , but those little green spaces says Cheers!
I did test using a crochet belt & I think I like it?

Well midnight is almost on me- so I better go feed that stove.
love to all & many new wonderful projects~
love-linda

Starting on lounge pants for Christmas 2012

2012-02-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

Yep, working on Christmas is up & running . I fret all year long until I manage to pull of some gifts for Christmas- . When I get stressed I stop to remember how wonderful it is to not have to fight those crazy crowds at a time when we are suppose to be happy & relaxed , a time to really count our blessings.

I managed to catch this particular piece of cotton knit on sale at Fabric.com. It is entirely out of my "comfort-zone". I have discovered that for me I enjoy solid colors & this was like taming a wild horse. But, we came to compromise & I think both of us ended up happy.Me because I have a Christmas present & the fabric because it transformed from a flat piece of fabric into a usable pair of lounge pants

This is a closer look at the design, cotton rib knit Abstract Sorbet Citrus & it was on sale for 1.74 yd. It was very enjoyable to work with after we reached that agreement & I was afraid I would scorch it when it came time to set the stitches, but it pressed like a dream? So, live & learn or at least that is my motto. LOL

It was a lovely day -probably because I got to work in the sewing room all afternoon.It was cold enough to have to wear a coat outside & it had rained this morning so everything was soaking wet. The fire was down to a few coals this morning, but with some tender loving coaxing she was up & running by the time I had completed the outdoor chores.

DH is not having a good day today - it is still his belly that is hurting him so much. I will be glad to see his doctor this Weds. I do not like to see him suffer like this. I know that he is scared because I am also.

I did get to take my afternoon walk & did not get to see any of "my deer-now that the deer hunters are finished hunting for this year." I did hear one snort in the brush warning the others that I was around. LOL
Back to the building I cleaned out the guinea pigs cage & carried in my grain from the vehicle , which we had picked up on Friday. It took me this long to get my strength up to tackle it.

Last , but not least - I tackled the stove once again. I wobbled back to the stove with a heavy log ( heavy to me) It took me a while to sweet-talk it to where I needed it to go. There were two logs already in the stove bottom & I wanted this one to fall on top of them so I could then heave it in with their help. I thought it was going to whip me there for a few minutes , but I did not give up & ever so slowly I inched it in there. That should hold the fire until bedtime .

We had a light supper , I had eggs & beans & DH had eggs & a venison burger. He only ate half of his & he tried an apple but he could not eat that either. He said it did not taste good, but I tasted it & it was a good apple so it is his taste buds. I hope it is only a bug that he can shake.

Well, I better get moving (not hopping tonight- lol) I still have dishes calling me & some laundry to put away . You know how it is , seems there is always something that needs to be done.

O let me add a link to a neat blog I visited .
http://freebiesforcrafters.blogspot.com/

AT the top is a quilt block that is so neat & you can really use some small scraps here.
Then on down the page is a project that is a tote -since Moments blog by Liz is having a tote sew along this month -this might help inspire everyone.
Just sharing - you never know when it will help to get somebody else s Mojo working. LOL

Creativity Feeds Our Soul

2012-02-04T16:36:00.000-08:00

I am very proud of myself -no I did not build a mansion or climb the world's tallest cliffs-but in the mist of exhaustion & too much to do & a drizzly dark & gloomy day I did manage to sew me a set of plain , comfortable slacks from a pattern that I drafted by myself - for myself. There are no pockets because I did not want to draw attention to my nice big, fat & wide hips, probably from birthing 3 babies through the years. : -)

I did get those bills all ready to go out on Monday morning and that makes me so happy. I do need to get some sleep for a change. This staying up will 3 AM is not good for anybody. I love it because it is so quiet and peaceful -but IF I could turn myself around then early in the morning would be too. I know this & yet I still drag my feet!

I did take an afternoon walk in the drizzling , dark clouded afternoon. I wish I had taken my camera because when I went to lock up the chickens I was so tired & hurting so much that I thought that would be as far as I could drag myself-But- now that I tell myself that I am "renting " this body & I should try to upkeep it better-that gave me the initiative to wobble up the hill trying to avoid slip-sliding in the mud.

I made it to where the grass was & Heard a loud commotion , which turned out to be the wild deer warning each other that danger was coming. First I saw 8 white tails as they flashed in the dusky pine trees . I was elated to discover that there were still deer after all those deer hunters killed as many as they did.

Now still watching where I stepped I hear more sounds and all of a sudden it looked like a deer jamboree .
They seemed to just explode like a star-burst in all directions.I counted 26 flashing white tails. I was in pure awe! With all of the excitement I had made it to the top of the hill & could now come back down. I wish the deer would come put on a show for me more often as it makes the walk less like work & more like fun.:-)

DH is still under the weather & in his chair. I had kept carrying him water today . He needs to drink more , but he is like a kid who hates water.We honestly do not know if this is from his cancer or a bug of some kind, but his stomach has been so sick for the last 4 days & nights. His lips are badly chapped & he is weak , but you know how that is when you are under the weather , so we are calling it a bug. He does have a doctor appointment for this Weds..so we will see?

I hope you have had a dose of "something feel good" today.We all need that both for our emotional & our physical health!
Love to all & hope you are having a great weekend.

Gosh!

2012-02-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

I was so tired today because DH was up sick last night & he got me up at 4am to help him. Since I had only gone to bed at 2am -well now you can understand why I am pooped .

I did get him comfortable & he feel asleep quickly . I got up at 8 because I had that dentist appointment.I went outdoors & did up all my chores .By 11 I was ready to go even though I knew that DH was really feeling rough.

He stayed in the vehicle & slept while I was inside . I got to meet a new dentist & he was truly a really Good Human being! He took a good look at that blasted little bone & smiled and said no -problem. Of course it was SO painful & swollen from poking out of my gum & actually cutting the gum that was trying to heal with every bit I would take.

I was determined to be the very best patient I could be. He got hold of it at first with some tweezers & pushed it backwards through the gum and then took a nipper & nipped that booger out of there! Wow- two months of pain instantly relieved. I was so joyous that I threw caution to the wind & gave him a "thank you hug!" He took it like a gentleman - there is something about "granny hugs" that do not scare people to death and I am glad because I was SO appreciative . I still looked like a disaster as I left the office with blood on my face -but I guess people are used to seeing that around there. : -)

We stopped & got DH some supplies & then boogied on home. I called his sister & told her I was so sorry but we could not meet her to celebrate her birthday with her. DH went to bed & I enjoyed my nice quiet retreat in the sewing room while he slept the afternoon away.

My only burr under my saddle was the fact that I had made an appointment for the phone company to fix our service Yesterday . When I looked it up last night online -the case was closed -but our service was still unusable. I was so miffed at them!

I was trying to figure out where to start on all the projects that I wanted to get a handle on. So , I picked up that first piece with the birds on it & cut out a shirt for my girlfriend over here. She likes shirts that have multiple colors in them so she can wear them with different slacks for variety in her wardrobe. I had cut out the front & back & I got the bright idea to see IF I had a left over scrap??? I did have & it was exactly the same color blue as the birds in the fabric.SOOOOO - I cut out the front & back from the birds & then the sleeves & neckband from the blue. Because I did that I now was able to cut out TWO shirts instead of one! That put a smile on my face. LOL

I was trying to decide on where to start & I decided since I Hate to cut out projects that I might as well tackle the cutting out today , especially since I had a picture in my head of what fabric was for which person. That way I could be able to just sit down & sew-my favorite part of the project! LOL

I managed to cut out Four shirts - two pair of lounge pants & one pair of slacks. YEA! I know that does not sound like a lot -but I spent a good hour trying to locate a pattern that I had stuck in the wrong envelope! BADDDDDD! ME!

That is one thing about you being the only person in your sewing space - you get all of the credit - but when there is a boo-boo - you get all of the blame! LOL But, just being in the sewing room lifted my spirits - as I know that you guys understand all about that!!!!!!!!!!!

Plus, our weather today was SOOOOOO beautiful & I got to take a morning & afternoon walk & at the top of the hill do 20 pull ups! Yea! Looks like we will have another week that we cheat Old Man Winter out of his fun & that suits me just fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I am just as happy as a bug in a rug & am sending you guys hugs of love! Yea! LOL

New Fabrics

2012-02-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a terrible picture , but it is a new box of mostly knit fabrics I caught on sale & am getting ready to work on that Christmas list again. The camo colors will be some kind of shirts for the guys. The yellow & pink mixture will be a pair of lounge pants . I think I have enough fabric for at least 3 pair of lounge pants so far. I think I enjoy can do a better job when I do several at a time, as that kinda helps me learn what to watch for & get a little better with each one as I go along.

One lesson I have noticed is : I like to start on the project that I want to make for sure will be completed first-but if the really important one is done first -then as I move along -the next ones down the list just improve in quality as I "hone" my skills. LOL

It has been a nice busy day. I got the fabrics & have them all washed & dried now -almost ready to begin. The morning was nice & I got to take that morning walk & do ten pull ups. Yea, I know ten does not sound like a lot , but a Granny has got to start somewhere again. LOL The ground was dry at the top of the hill where I walk , so I like to do them up there -where there is peace and quiet .

I had my counseling sesson this afternoon & we stopped at the drug store to pick up DH's pain meds & arthritis meds - only to be told that they had not received anything from the doctors???? That was suppose to be called in when DH went to the doctor the last visit???? With all of the red tape & hoops you have to jump through now-a-days it is hard for him to get what he needs. Adding to the fact that he is dealing with More pain each day it seems..

Dealing with the fight against cancer is a little like feeling in the dark. When it comes to understanding how it works - it is like a big mystery. When I did ask his Doctor -he said that it is a disease that steadily destroys your health. Then when they said that it metastases into the bones- I kept attempting to visualize that picture in my head I knew I needed a better answer - so I asked today. I knew that they had mentioned tumors -so I asked how that worked & they said that the tumors can attach themselves to the bones & grow from them or as I visualized the cancer cells can grow inside of the bones & kinda make them crumble & fail.

Also when we got back home this afternoon I fixed us both a banana smoothie & then he ate an apple & then he got a terrible stomach ache. I do not know what to do to help ease the pain.

While we were out he took me by the dental clinic where I had those top teeth pulled. I told the receptionist that I had one bone growing straight out -like a unicorn's horn - what can I do about it. I think I got lucky because when she reappeared she asked could I be there tomorrow at noon & of course I said yes.You could have blown me over like a feather????? I cannot imagine what in the world he will say & I am scared to death. After those last shots in the roof of my mouth- let's just say that the "fear" I had in the beginning has multiplied! But, I have tried getting it out myself & I cannot get that thing to budge!

Happy stitches to you! :-)

What A Mixed Bag of Tricks

2012-01-31T23:26:00.000-08:00

these last few days have been? I went from trying to draft a shorts pattern for my sister-in-law & because the knit was stretched out of shape they had given me a few "head scratching" times -almost to the point of throwing it all in the trash- to

Actually completing a pair of size XXXL shorts -all completed. But , they fought me every stitch of the way. Now , I just need to see how they fit before I make my final conclusion.

Remember we had taken the embroidery machine to a new man only 28 miles from us. Well, that is another funny story. We took it last week- and we picked it up yesterday . He said that it gave him a FIT & that he had tried to call us 3 times last week to tell us to come get it . LOL BUT - it turned out that our phones were out of order & we did not know it -until a girlfriend finally figured out a way to get a hold of us to tell us what was wrong.

Isn't it funny how things work out sometimes. LOL

This was my excuse for not saying hi last night. Our youngest grandson & his Mom & Dad came by for a visit- well, they brought us some groceries & they were deeply appreciated . They brought some bananas so I made everybody a banana smoothie. We ate them but they were not so great because the bananas had a green taste to them & I had run out of banana extract that I could have added to help overcome the green taste. But , none of us wasted them . He is 14 months old now - how time does fly?

Just like tonight - I had tried numerous times to send the pictures I have taken of them -but for some reason the computer would just freeze up- stubborn like a mule.
So, I got the bright idea that I would put them on a flashdrive -why in the world I had not tried that before now????????????????? I went though all of my digital pictures & I think they will be amazed at some of them that I do not think they know about. But, you know how it is when you get lost in time & the next thing I knew another day had slipped away as that clock hand went over the midnight hour & here it is 2:30 in the morning? GRRRR!
So, love to you all & hope you can keep up with your day better than I seem to. : -)
.

Thank goodness for my little guardians

2012-01-29T18:07:00.000-08:00

It was cold here today & with the wind blowing -the cold hurt too much to take my walk, so I finished my chores & went in to feed DH &myself . But his stomach was hurting -we sat & watched a tv program & for the 3rd time in my life - I heard my husband cry. The first time was when his sister was shot by her husband who then shot himself too. DH could not find closure because the person he wanted to kill himself was now gone-so he bundled that anger up & carried it with him for years.

The second time I saw my husband cry was when his Mama died. She was always his best friend & when he lost her -he lost a piece of his heart. I knew what that felt like because when my Mama died , I knew what it felt like to be an Orphan-it was horrible.

So , now with this monster called cancer -it is such a terrible event to deal with. When someone you love is facing a battle like that - neither of you have any kind of "manual" to follow - you just take it one step at a time, and sometimes those steps are slippery..

I decided I would work on that pair of shorts for his sister for her birthday this week & I really tried hard, BUT- when it came time to sew the crotch seam & it would not match up - I discovered that I had sewn two front pieces together & two back pieces together. One of my mistakes that usually tries to haunt me. I knew it was because my mind was not paying attention to what I was doing. My "want to" and my "can do" -just were not on the same page.

I am not sharing this with you for sympathy - I think it is because I know that we ALL will have to face this sooner or later and I do not have an answer to how to behave.I think that the one thing to hang onto is that love is the answer . She binds us all together in this experience we take.

I love you guys.;-)

Kat's shorts pattern

2012-01-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law's birthday has snuck up on me! It is this week & I have not come up with a pattern from the shorts that she gave me to make them by. My problem is I am concerned that since it is a knit fabric that is very stretchy - I do not know if it fits her according to the fabric's relaxed shape -OR- when the fabric is stretched to fit??????

So I use my ruler to go around the shorts seam allowance , adding 5/8 of an inch & hoping . You would think this would be a piece of cake - BUT - it took me 3 hours to take apart her shorts! Those stitches just did not want to come apart. They had decided that they were to be united until the very end & they gave a run for my money. My bursitis in my right shoulder was really screaming at me by the time I had finished taking them apart.

Ok, here's the first one , now onto the front part. Our weather today was lovely -a little chilly but I managed to hang out our laundry & it dried in no time flat because of the steep breeze.That's one way to clear your head. LOL

Well, you should know by now that I Always have to get myself into some kind of trouble & this time It just happened to be with my rotary cutter. It just quit rolling & I thought it was packed with too much lint behind the blade so I took it apart to clean it & yep-couldn't figure out how to get it back?? I know I got lost on this project for 45 minutes. I finally went online looking for fiskars rotary assembly . The fiskars site was no help-they had a written explanation that did me NO Good because I am a visual person . Finally I accidentally stumbled onto a blog(thank goodness for blogs) and got a description with pictures. The funny part was that it looked just like what I had been doing -but for some reason it just started to roll???????I guess that "sewing fairy" decided to give me a break???
http://sewingnovice.com/2011/04/08/changing-a-rotary-cutter-blade/http://sewingnovice.com/2011/04/08/changing-a-rotary-cutter-blade/
thanks to her blog I was finally up and trying again.

You can see that while I was lost in the battle with Mr. Rotary that Miss Rosie was very happy to take charge of the fabric for me . She REALLy got into that job!

You might say that she thinks she is the "cat's meow" & I would agree with her. Even when she takes a "catnap" - while on duty - she always keeps one eye open.

With all of the help I have had I finally got my first pair of shorts cut out, but I am too tired to tackle the next lesson they will teach me! ALL DAY LONG! For one project .

By discovering that my Sister-in-law's birthday is this week - I ALSO DISCOVERED that January is coming to an end. Hum? This is the month that I always plan to hide away & read a book or do some crocheting or do some house projects -but some how it just always flys by at neckbreak speed. So, it is a good thing that I have learned to cherish each day that comes my way. :-)

A few of my buddies

2012-01-26T20:22:00.000-08:00

I have not got to sew today as I had a buddy drop in . We did come to the sewing room & as I started pulling out treasures looking for something -she was amazed & we both just got captured by the magic.So , I decided to introduce you to some of my "other buddies" . LOL

I did have a "quirky" moment this morning. I had read an article that said IF you would drink the juice of 3 carrots -you could help prevent macular degeneration with your eyes. My eye doctor has spotted what he thought to be the start of it 3 years back & I do not want it to steal my sight. I have a very cheap -old juicer which I pulled out of storage. I had washed up the carrots & one apple that we had left. I sliced them to where they would all fit down the hole into the machine. I even remembered to put a glass to catch the juice coming out - instead of forgetting to like I do 90% of the time -with me squealing while the juice runs all over the counter top into the floor -so I was pretty proud of myself as I put iced cubes in the juice & diluted it with water. I had decided to make a small 9x 9 cake with the pulp.

I opened the machine & was scooping the top of the pulp down into a bowl & I discovered that the rest was slices of carrot & apple- not pulp -but big slices of the carrot & the apple. I still cannot figure out how it did that -other than to say that machines hate me.lol

Thank goodness that my "critters" do not!

I did get that carrot cake made though & DH & James & I enjoyed it for supper. :-)

Doggie arm chair remote caddy

2012-01-25T20:47:00.000-08:00

This is the fabric I picked today to work on for another remote caddy. I had picked up this piece of fabric last year when Lynne took me with her in a "shop-hop".
Today here the weather was beautiful & warm. People were just wearing short sleeves- in Winter-Time.???

I had my left-over soup for breakfast this morning-Yum. Of course DH & James had eggs & sausage. I'm not one bit jealous of them. LOL

Then late in the afternoon I fixed them macaroni in tomatoes& tomato juice. You just cook your macaroni in water . I poured that water off & drained the macaroni . While I was waiting for that to drain I melted a couple of tablespoons of butter in the same pan. I dumped the macaroni back in the butter & coated them a little. Then poured in a can of tomatoes & can of tomato juice - plus salt & pepper - 1/4 cup of sugar( I like to omit that but DH has to have it-no matter how bad it is for him. . I added a teaspoon of celery salt. Then to set it off - I made toast with butter melted on it & VERY LIGHTLY sprinkled garlic powder on the toast.

DH & I Both - hate garlic-but in this particular dish - it just sets the macaroni off! I you Love garlic , by all means add More .

TaDaaaaaaaaaaaa! Another caddy& it looks decent. Well, I gotta get ready for bed & I have to fix DH's coffee for in the morning- I add all the ingredients & DH hits the button in the morning . Plus I am going to make a loaf of bread in the bread machine tonight. I like it that way as it will be finished by morning & cooled off -thus making it easier to slice it.

Love to all!

Hello, Hello, Hello

2012-01-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful day has come & gone FAST. It was a pleasantly warm day , but -as I was doing outdoor chores this morning I happened to notice that my daffodils are up-and this certainly is not April!!!!!!!!! I love the warm weather - and I also love my flowers & have never seen this before in my lifetime. I am hoping that they will not get killed ??????????????????????????

Gosh, I did house work , I did laundries, I fixed DH & James supper. DH was the one who helped me figure that one out. I had fixed a crockpot of kidney beans , not knowing why - I could only remember that I needed kidney beans for something? DH came through the kitchen & saw Something in the crockpot & asked IF that was to be a pot of chili beans? As I came into the kitchen it hit me that was a very good idea. Nice & fast .

Another First for me was that I needed onions for the chili & did not have any -until DH mentioned he had seen some in the garden ?????? I thought we had pulled all of them in the Fall?? But he went down & carried back a nice handful. Even after a wicked freeze here lately - after I peeled the top layer off of them - they were wonderful ??? How about that -fresh onions in the dead of Winter?????????????????????? LOL

It did not take long to saute the onions and add peppers that I had frozen from the garden & then throw in the deer burger & add seasonings & it was completed. They scarfed it down & headed outdoors again. The perfect time for me to run the vacuum again & capture more mud. I wanted to get through the dirty parts before I took a shower.

Then I came out nice and clean & fixed me a Healthy Soup that I had never tried before. I Love soups & this one was suppose to be enough for one person . That way I could test it & decide IF I should offer DH any. It had onions & broccoli & spinach & tofu &mushrooms & noodles in it . It looked so pretty & not like anything I had before.

My decision was that it is TERRIFIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! O YUMMY- the best thing I have put in my mouth since November when I had those top teeth pulled.O YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had one small bowl & one of those green monster muffins from yesterday & I was thrilled at how good food could be.

More dishes later I fixed DH & myself another one of those safflower toddies & I have found a frozen orange juice in the freezer so we had that to chase it down . So, day two -the toddy is accomplished & again I feel so satisfied & have NO munchies!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippeeee !

This is my two pieces of fabric that I got yesterday at The Schoolhouse Fabrics. They are both knits -yet very different from each other. The Tweety Bird is a baby double knit & it is soft with some stretch. This one I will turn into a pair of lounge pants for either my d-in-law or my granddaughter????? They both enjoy anything Disney.

The second piece is a cotton knit with Lycra . This is suppose to help it not pucker up on your knees???? I am looking forward to testing it out. I do have a shirt that a friend gave me & it has lycra in it & it does NOT wrinkle at all & I love it.

I have not heard from the sewing machine "doctor" & I am wondering if that evil machine of mine could have murdered him in his own shop????????????????????????? We will see?

I will leave you now & Many Happy Stitches to you!

Doggie arm chair remote

2012-01-23T23:13:00.000-08:00

Gosh , family - I did not mean to get lost, but I certainly did accomplish that. I actually got lucky this morning & got all of the outdoor chores accomplished & hit the sewing room Before DH woke up. I was VERY pleased with myself.

I managed to complete this remote caddy this morning & I meant to post it then. But DH woke up & wanted to eat & you know how that is -then you have dishes & bla, bla, bla!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next we jumped ship & took off up in the mountains to Floyd where there was suppose to be a sewing machine repair man. Of course he was closed. I copied down the information on the door & told DH that since we were in Floyd could we stop at the School House Fabric store. He laughed & said he knew we could not leave the little community of Floyd without stopping there.

Once we pulled into their parking lot - I placed a call to the sewing man! Told him we had missed him & how could we get the machine to him. First he said -come back tomorrow & then when I told him we were at the fabric store -he was tickled & he said to take it in & leave it with Jerry -the owner/manager & anything else that needed to be done. He said then he would pick it up tomorrow.

Well, Jerry is one of the sweetest fellows on the planet . While there I picked out two pieces of fabric to start on Christmas presents & have them in the wash machine now.

I was getting ready to post & was checking emails -when I noticed that I had a note from Fabric. com -where I had been checking out their sales last nigh. She said that I had put things in my shopping cart & not completed the sale & they would take off 15% if I would complete my order. LOL
Well that was my downfall tonight as I got lost in a fabric store online for HOURS & of course I added more to my cart because if you purchase35.00 -then you have free shipping.

So of course my order is completed , my project is completed, my dumb embroidery machine is waiting at the
machine doctors waiting to see the doctor & my day is gone too - already on to another day & my eyeballs say GO TO BED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

O, but one more little note : This afternoon we stopped at a little health food store in Floyd & I managed to pick up a bottle of Safflower Oil. I don't know if you happen to remember the story I told about watching a program on tv by a Dr. Oz about the benefits of this oil. He said to take two teaspoons of it each day to get rid of "belly fat".

So, as soon as we returned home I told DH that we were both going to try it & see what happens. As you know belly fat is one of the worst fats we can have . I put two little caps out with two teaspoons in each little cup. I gave each of us a wee little glass of tea to help wash it down with. We gagged & sputtered like two wimps, but we got it down. I was thinking we need some orange juice to wash it down . I went on in to the sewing room for a while& it was the time of the afternoon at dark when we both usually get the munchies. But, DH came by & asked, " is that stuff suppose to take our appetite away?" I told him ,no - not as I know. I had fixed a little pan of muffins (but he did not know they had spinach in them) & I took one of them & we have dear James back helping DH this week - do the heavy stuff. So, they did munch on the muffins & said they were Good.( I will not tell them that they were good for them!) LOL But, that one satisfied me one hundred percent. So, instead of a big serving of muffins - one satisfied me ?? I certainly do not know if it will work this way every night - but I will let you know.

OK, off to bed I go & send love to each of you!!!!!!!!!!!

Owl armchair remote caddy

2012-01-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

On my caddy today I experimented with a different stitch to close my edge that I turned from. I like it better. It is a slightly cold day today , everything is SO very wet. The ground is saturated -in some places packed down & in other places very slippery where the ground is soft.The way I go to the chicken house is a mess because that is the way that DH brings in wood with his truck & the truck really tore up the land. Mud??????? I HATE mud! LOL

I have a pain in my right side -down very low - & it is driving me nuts. I have been online searching for answers. I just want it to GO AWAY!

I do like this caddy-it will be a Christmas gift for one of my young friends . She has graduated college & is working two jobs. Another plus for this project is that the fabric is so very soft to the touch. One nice thing about doing several projects of the same type is that I do get better with each one & learn of boo-boos to watch out for.

Sending love
Linda

Kitty cat armchair remote caddy

2012-01-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

Another week already gone by the wayside. Yes, I am still working on my remote caddy's. Everyone I tackle I bump into lessons along the way. Still not a perfect one Yet- but you never know until you try& try & try. :-)
This one I only top-stitched each end & for some reason I like it better.

It has been cool & rainy here all day long. The ground is so saturated that I almost go "rain-skiing " when I step outdoors,so I do not step outdoors any more than I have to. I fixed us oatmeal for breakfast & I ate the last of my blueberries ,that I love so much. DH fixed himself so eggs & applesauce afterwards for a "snack". It is aweful when you eat & do not get satisfied. For supper I fixed us some rice & celery soup that I like on a "tender stomach". I locked the chickens up so they would be safe for another night & I can keep DH in eggs. LOL ..

I like this caddy a lot , but of course probably because it has a "critter" on it & blue & yellow are my favorite colors. :-)

Love to All.

We Do What We Can- When We Can

2012-01-20T21:13:00.000-08:00

This is another one of those "road-runner" days- run to town - run to the mill for critter feed & for flour for us.Of course it made the day just fly by. O, DH took James home for the weekend -or so they said. LOL I will wait & see what happens. I miss having him in the house with his sweet , quiet ways. It reminded me of things that our youngest son & I use to do together. It was nice .

But after we got back home I locked up all the chickens . It got dark early tonight - the sky was loaded with dark heavy clouds and now it is pouring down a Cold rain as the temperature is right on freezing. I am so grateful that I do not have to go away from home in the morning. I am so blessed.

So, this afternoon I made it to the sewing room & decided to cut out a few of the arm chair caddies , now that I am happy with their size. I think I have 3 of them cut out & I used up all of the white canvas that I was using in the center.

I did try to get in contact with the lady whose DH is suppose to work on machines . I had missed her at work yesterday & when I called back today they said she had already left-so I tried her home phone number & left her a message. DH said if we do not hear from her soon we will just have to take the machine to a dealer in another state. That is definitely one Monster Disadvantage to having a Brother machine -there is no service dealer anywhere near us & the two we have found the last two years was just not worth finding. Darn it! If only I knew how to fix the hateful things???????????? Or if only I had the big bucks to buy a Janome or a Bernina as we have two excellent dealers almost in our back yard. But, it is what it is & that is that! :-)

I also need to find time to work on making a shorts pattern for my sister-in-law. The patterns I have are too small & she brought me a pair if Knit shorts & you know how confusing it is trying to make a pattern from knits. I do not know IF the shorts fit her -with the fabric relaxed -or- if they fit because they stretch to where they are comfortable. My wee little brain is in a dither & she has a birthday coming up in two weeks so I better figure something out before then.

I will bid you all a due!!!!!!!!
Take time to smile - it is so good for you!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Larger American Armchair Remote Holder Caddy

2012-01-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

I got a lot accomplished today , considering how my day was spread all over the place. I did morning chores (it was Cold & there was a Heavy frost on this morning. I finished chores & took my walk that I had been neglecting ,up the hill & back. I had to pause a few times to try & catch my breath as the cold air hurt to walk in. As I was walking I heard the scutter in the leaves & saw the cutest squirrel fleeing across the leaves -like I was a bandit intruding his space this morning. I walked a little further & heard more sounds in the leaves so I paused to try & see what it could be this time. My eyes are not as good as they have been & it took me a little while to spot the noise. It was a little doe deer Hobbling along up the hilll. It made me so sad & I wished I could help ease her pain. The only thing I could think to do was to pray for her & visualize flooding colors of yellow gold flooding her body. Then I moved on & came to the house & we all ate. Then I headed to the sewing room & decided that since I was not pleased with my remote caddies I would just draft me a new pattern to play with.

But before I could pull that off we had to leave to go meet DH's sister at her doctor appointment & that took up the rest of the afternoon.It was getting dark as we headed back to the house. When we arrived I went on up and locked up the chickens.

Then I went back to work on my idea on the caddies & this is what I came up with -compared to the first ones that are smaller.

Yes I think I like this much better so that you could use it for a variety of uses.

O yes, I like the way it lays on the arm of the chair better now. Yes, it does take more fabric -but I think this is what I will do from now on.

O , one thing I am so pleased that I have noticed is that our days are getting Longer- yipppeeeeee!

Just One Of Those Days

2012-01-18T18:38:00.000-08:00

Maybe we should be a little more like our pets (this is my Cocoa) & learn to live in the moment ,especially if we consider , the moment is the only thing that we can deal with now. Yesterdays are gone & tomorrows are not here Yet. I remember one time when I as younger that it hit me I was spending all of my time wishing the next month was almost here because that was when we would get paid. It made me realize that using that clock - my life was quickly slipping away- and I did not want that to happen.

Today was another one of those days that just flew by. I managed the morning chores & feeding us & then getting us ready for DH's doctor visit & my counselor. His doctor visit was a little strange because after we got to see the doc -she said that she had written down - No Appointment & yet there we were?So they took DH back in the back to the lab & after a half an hour wait they gave him some kind of shot . The nurse said that the shot last week was to help his bones & ready him for what ever this shot was today? I was very confused & as we left I made a mental note to myself that the next visit I was going to ask how he really is doing??????????????????

As we headed to the next town for my counselling we stopped at two Goodwill's to check for our young friend who is staying with us this week - to see if we could find some jeans for him. After two stores we only found one pair & they had been really distressed- even if that is the popular look , these were wore around the bottom hem & all around the waistband . There was one place that almost had a hole , so I darned that before it grows! He seemed very pleased & I only wished it was more, after all he has done to help us.

By the time we got home it was dark again & the day was gone. I fixed us some fish soup & crackers & the guys had peanut butter sandwiches . I was so tired . I pushed my mind over to the side as it tried to scream at me how tired I was & just dove right into the dishes so they would not multiply over night!

Something about going to town just totally exhausts me. Tomorrow will be another one of those days for me as we are going to meet DH's sister & her husband as she is coming our way for a doctor visit with her back. I have decided that we just lease these bodies 7 taking care of them is a read challenge. My body & I often have disagreements about what we want to do?????????????????????

O, Let me share a few more of those blogs with you.
http://girlsinthegarden.blogspot.com/
http://frogsinabucket.blogspot.com/
http://missceliespants.com/
http://kbenco.blogspot.com
http://allisoncsewinggallery.blogspot.com/
http://scpbanks.blogspot.com/

As I checked some of these out - just to make sure that the links worked -I enjoyed one of them for 52soups. I LOVE soups so that was neat.
Leaving for now & Be Happy :-)

A Fishie Remote Caddy

2012-01-17T18:31:00.000-08:00

I really Hate to waste left-overs because you never know when they might come in handy-When I pulled this blue strip out I knew it would be perfect to make the binding for the pockets with this project.

Well - I got the blue sewn on and discovered my first b00-bOO!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, fishies do not normally swim upside down & no matter what a good job I had done with a nice straight seam -- I had to do it over . :-( There was just BARELY enough fish fabric to cut out two more pockets.

See , I did finally get it right. But AFTER I had finished I Discovered Another bad mistake. On the other side there was a HOLE in the very front of the pocket right at the fish's belly. I was SO miffed at myself -why in the world did I not see that to start with. Yes, I am having trouble with my eyes -but surly I should have seen that hole. Darn It.

I pulled out my thread & needle and gently sewed the hole closed. I am leery of it through because the threads of the fish wanted to pull loose-so when I finished I used some fabric glue on it Inside of the pocket , so I will be curious to see what the results will be???????

You can see my manager came in for the final inspection. Bless his heart - he has been outside with me finishing chores and he needs a bath. All of this mud is driving me crazy- oops - that is just a short walk for me. LOL
Happy Sewing trails to you!

American armchair remote caddy

2012-01-16T19:20:00.000-08:00

Where in the world did this day go to???? Outside chores , breakfast , cleaning up & running the vacuuming several times today as every time the guys went outdoors and returned with their muddy boots -it was getting to be a mess.

Our young friend , James went out this after noon and cut a big truck load of wood. He does such a good job & is so kind to help two older pains. : -) I wanted to go down & help him pick up the wood & load it onto the truck to bring to the house, but - I was working on fixing him some supper. If I do not have money to give to him - I am trying to at least feed him good.

I had read this morning that IF I would juice 3 carrots a day it would help me prevent macular degeneration , which was what my eye doctor had spotted just showing signs of 3 years ago. I need to go back for a recheck & glasses because I am having trouble seeing again. So, I decided to attempt the carrots. My sister-in-law had given me a Bullet ,which is a small multi-purpose appliance that chops up stuff . I had notice one small canister that looked like a juicer to me. You know Mechanical things hate me - well, sure enough I got in trouble with it too. I put it together and turned it on and NOISE - loud noise as it screamed at me.

I tried once again & same thing all over again. It smelled of plastic & I decided that the blade was cutting into the plastic as it whirled around, SO I took it apart and put the Other blade in it and Same thing????? I looked everywhere for a paper of instructions & could not find any , so I kept fiddling until I got it co-operating . I washed my carrots & inserted the first one and I could see that it did "Mulch" the first one , so I inserted the second one only to have it be practically jerked out of my hand & end up wedged in side ways and on top of that there was not a sign of juice anywhere??????

Desperate people do desperate things -so I went hunting and pulled out of the basement a old juicer that I had in storage. It is not an expensive one, but bless its little heart it did come to life & did a good job of getting me some carrot juice. By now I have learned to dilute my fresh juice & it did not take but about 5 swallows to down it. The pain is cleaning up all of the machinery I had in my wake. That took almost an hour to accomplish. While I was searching for papers I had ran across a little book of recipes that said not to waste the trimmings & it had a recipe for a small carrot cake. I hauled out all of the ingredients , except I did not have any pineapple -so I substituted a little tangerine I found in the bottom of the veggie drawer. All of this mixing & hunting & Washing utensils takes another hour.

By now my good intentions to help James has fallen by the wayside because he has already come to the house and unloaded the wood. As he is walking by the building he discovers water spraying everywhere?????????DH goes out to check and discovers that a water line has frozen & burst .They have to run to town to get some supplies to fix that . See what I mean about Always Something going on??????????

They get that fixed and I finish vacuuming for the 3rd time. I went to the chicken house & gather the eggs & lock up the chickens so nobody will attempt to eat them while we sleep. It is hard to keep chickens between the hawks , owls , foxes, coyotes, wolves & last but not least - humans! Two years ago some human came while we had gone to town and stole all 22 that I had in one house! I am still mad over that because that was my favorite rooster. I had raised him from a baby & his color was titled a Splash - he looked like he had pokeadots all over him -and he was so dear to me. : -(

With dark setting we all come in & have supper. I had fixed a veggie shepherd's pie with baked beans & the carrot cake for dessert. Of course I ate too much & my tummy is saying that it is far smarter than my head -or I would not have put too much in there. LOL

After I cleaned up the kitchen I waddled into the sewing room and managed to produce this American armchair remote caddy. I tried really hard to get things right , but after I was finished - I Hated it. So, I carried it into the living room where my #1 tester was enjoying his favorite pastime - TV. I handed it to him and asked for his opinion . It looked good on the arm of the chair - but , I am just real dissatisfied with it.

I remember that I made one for my deaf friend years ago and he Loved his. Seems like I made it fatter & longer so that you could tuck the one side under the cushion of the chair to secure it.By being larger he put the remote on one side and then stored some tissues for easy access?????? Do any of you guys have any thoughts??????

Look what snuck in last night

2012-01-15T16:58:00.000-08:00

Yep, it certainly did- I always tell DH that it always snows in the nigh-time so I cannot get to see it fall. After all , that is the only part about snow that I enjoy - watching those little snowflakes come tumbling down to earth and even seeing if I can catch one with my tongue.But as far as the cold, wet and dirty part - I do not like anything to do with that .But, we get what we get & that is that. We have our young friend , James with us . He was going to help cut firewood but none of us knew this stuff was coming & then DH woke up sick yesterday morning & he slept all day and all night. James took the night shift feeding the wood stove & I took the morning shift . I went out to do morning chores and this stuff was everywhere. This is at the little chicken house as I went up to let them out. But they poked their little heads out and refused to budge except to get a nice Warm drink of warm water I had brought them.

After I fed and watered everybody I stopped to catch my breath and could not help but admire the little birdhouse that DH made me two years ago. Last summer it had some of the cutest little birds raise a family in it.

I was glad I was finished outdoors so I let the crisp wind nudge me along to the house. Inside everybody was still sleeping and that was fine by me. I tiptoed past them into the sewing room-YEA! For the next two hours to myself I rummaged through my cotton collection searching for materials to work some more on these arm chair caddies. After I had some sorted out I pulled out my iron and went to ironing the wrinkles out of them. Hum? there are some nice pieces in here - things might go right .

Then just as I was about to iron the last piece - yep - you guessed it -DH was up. So much for my nice quiet morning of sewing -but at least it was a start. I went out and fixed my oatmeal while they fixed their eggs & bacon. Then I spent the next hour washing dishes and putting some order back to the little kitchen.

They both went outdoors for a while so I decided to fix a new recipe I had picked up for minestrone. It called for lots of veggies & that took a while to chop them all up. After that was on the stove to simmer I put together a peach pie -the kind that makes its own crust, yea I know -lazy me ,but they will be happy to just have a treat.

While I was working on that pie I noticed that my big aquarium was not right. I went over to feed them , but I could see stuff floating around in the water -making it murky. O SHOOT! My plans did not include a day to work on an aquarium-but this was one of those "have to " cases .Either fix it -OR- watch my fish die & that was not about to happen.

For the next hour I tore the canister filter down and cleaned all of its parts & thought I was almost finished as I hooked it back to the tank. I flipped the reconnect button AND - water squirted everywhere it was NOT suppose to. I was stunned for a minute as I was not expecting that. I unhooked everything once again and carried it back to the sink . I thought I had installed some of the baskets wrong -so I took them all out and cleaned them & put them back in the opposite way.

Time to see if it was going to work , but this time I went hunting for some kind of container to set the canister in -just in case again. Water is NOT Good for hardwood floors and I cannot get up under the shelf that the aquarium sets on. Good thing I did because once again -water squirted everywhere again.

I disconnected everything again and found the information on the canister and sat down to read and try to figure out what the problem could be. While I had my head in the pamphlet DH said he bet it was the gasket. So, I took everything apart one more time and pulled the gasket out and reinserted it-changed the little baskets and prayed all the way to the aquarium! I was scared to death to reconnect everything . But prayer do work and it took off like it was suppose to ! YEA! By the time I cleaned up the living room from where I had tore it up working and we ate and I washed dishes and yep- here I am and the day is gone- AGAIN!
I am BEAT!

SO, I will bid you adue!!!!!!!!!

Remote control caddy

2012-01-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

I started out today attempting to draft a pattern.I had visited a blog that has a sewing project of running each month & found her to be very enticing .
http://liz-moments.blogspot.com/2http://liz-moments.blogspot.com/2012/01/friday-finish.html
This month it is arm chair caddy. Most of them are sewing caddies for those people who sew and stick your pins in the chair arm. I do not know any people who do hand sewing -but I decided it would be a perfect start to Christmas presents by turning it into a tv remote caddy.

I wanted some kind of stabilizer -so I substituted some denim that I had scraps left over from some pants . Having storage for scraps is tough, but I do try. I have a plastic bag that I have them in right now - Yea- I know -really high tech isn't it??? LOL

It is amazing how much time you can put into even the smallest project- but , it is a neat feeling to lose yourself into one!

It took all afternoon to complete it. I am not satisfied with it , but it will work for now. Maybe if I sleep on it my brain will figure out what I need to do now.

Talk about sleep - now that it is bed time I need to go feed the stove , BUT - I just peeked out the door and we have a good inch of fluffy snow everywhere. Talk about a sneak attack!!!!!!!!!!!! : )

First Sewing Guild Meeting of the new year

2012-01-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

Check out some of my treasures that I picked up tonight at our Sewing Guild meeting . Lynne was kind enough to pick me up and we spend that hour drive catching up . The weather was beautiful going down -people were outdoors in their shirt-sleeves . The meeting was great -the subject was sewing blogs . I was surprised that there were only 3 people who did the presentation and me . I did not see any other hands . The information was very helpful to those who have yet to jump in this sewing blog world.

They have a table of books & also a table of patterns & I am thrilled to be allowed to enjoy these beautiful things.After the presentation they had Sew & Tell and we got to see what everybody had been up to. There were quilts and purses and totes and lounge pants and my favorite was a little tiny "felted bracelet".

I picked up the pattern for children because those great-grand children of ours will be going into these sizes by next Christmas?????

They gave us a handout of some of the sewing blogs that they enjoyed and I have never visited any of them so I thought I would drop the information , just in case you have a minute some day to be curious.
http://sewchic.blogspot.com
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2
http://theslapdashsewist.blogspot.com
http://miaslandiv.blogspot.com
http://pleasantviewschoolhouse.blogspot.com
http://ankastreasures.wordpress.com
http://joypatch.blogspot.com

I hope that you have had a lovely day too !
Until we meet again! Nite!

Woe Is Me Once Again

2012-01-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

Yep, this is the project I was pouring myself into tonight. Already tired and was just "hoping" I could pull it off. WRONG! I was halfway through the design when it went to breaking threads Again. But, I babied it and did not get upset with it-believing if Only I could have patience I could accomplish my goal-Wrong once again.

But all of a sudden it made the most hideous screech and shivered all over and well, to be truthful - it was all over. It shivered so hard that it almost yanked the project from the hoop. Still I thought -Maybe???? Let's just try a few things . I tried pulling the front off of the machine because sometimes It would get a thread hung on a spring and scream at me. But -no - no string. Then I thought maybe on that little box on top that you have to remove the cover to get to- so I carefully removed the little box and took off one of the screws-but no everything looked good there? I tried to put the little box back on, but I could not get the little screw to co-operate, no matter how hard I tried. I even went and checked out DH's screwdriver collection and OF Course all of his were gone. Pooh!

Well, ladies - this is what some of your machines look when they are a little naked. Knowing it was beyond saving - I tried the needle up and down for the last time and it just shivered at me. I did manage to "accidentally" save the design in the machine. Then I tried turning the machine off and then back on - Nope - won't budge- it is just "stuck" royally........why in the world does this machine hate me so much????? At least the good thing is that that it is not a week before Christmas with projects all lined up-that must be the silver lining behind this dark cloud.

Well, it is after midnight and I am doubly pooped! I have to go outdoors and feed the woodstove and go lock up the chickens -hoping the rain will let up so I can see and hoping I do not fall on the mud and get all messy. I am leaving and hoping that we can see what tomorrow brings.
love to all! :)

One step at a time.

2012-01-10T21:36:00.000-08:00

My Dh wearing his lounge pants made from the fabric that my "cyber-sister" sent to us for Christmas. This flannel is so nice- so soft and comfortable and I was so thrilled to receive it. Boy, fabric really flew out the shelves here . I have heard others talking about it to.

Today was so busy. I did finally get all the pieces of my shirt located and then cut out what parts I needed for it and a second one to. You would know that I HAD to make a mistake today. I got the front part cut out right , but when it came to the back part I placed where the fold should be on the wrong side and had to end up cutting off another piece of fabric to cut that back part out of. I used all the pieces of left-overs to cut out one set of short sleeves and one set of long sleeves.
By then though it was time to feed a starving hubby and myself also and then out to do chores and bring one laundry in and take another one out, plus vacuum the living room to capture some of that run away pet hair and then out to do chores. Where does our day run off it.

Past midnight once again - see what I mean. I need to go to bed - so I will leave you sending all things good to each of you.

Sometimes a toy makes you

2012-01-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

It has been another one of those days that just get away from you-or maybe I am really getting SLOWER all the time- please not!
I got to going through all of the fabric bundles that the brother -in-law had shared with me yesterday . I had to do this BEFORE I could see the cutting table once again and I did not want to just move the bundles and then forget all about them and have to eventually move them again. So, the majority of them were bundles of vintage polyester - do you remember the pants suites? LOL A large part of them were still bundled together with a paper band around them that showed they were either .50 -1.00 / a yard . Some of them had met a similar fate as some of my buried treasures. Back then I had never seen a plastic tote to store things in , so it did not take much for those little field mice to come in for the winter and discover their very own fabric store and bathrooms! Some were not stained and some were-and from my luck I could never get mice stain out of anything.

So, my quandary- my lack of love for polyester- minus my want to not waste this fabric???? I wondered if there were any appreciaters of it? Well, while I was concentrating my mind hit up on a light bulb for the moment- My doggie pillows- all of the covers I had for them were about whipped out , from use and washing-after all furbabies were a lot like human children - they are not always the cleanest little critters on the earth. : )

So, I took one piece that had lots of brown and not so easy to show dirty -cut it in half and sewed two pillow cases .Then I pet one one from each side and that worked like a charm. For the moment my conscious was now clean- I had not wasted that piece and I had found a use for it. : ) For the moment I then transported the rest out into the storage shed -so that I could now find the parts of that shirt I had originally started in on. But - I got to talking to a new Aussie friend about TOYS - and her love of them- discovering that I also shared that. She and a friend are making them & when I mentioned I had one that a friend had given to me and how dear I thought of it. I had picked it up to describe it to her and low and behold the little zipper pull came off in m y hand-one of those O NO moments . So - she suggested I post it to give her a look - so dear Anita -here is my baby.

I think she is made from some kind of denim with her little wings and top-knot to set her off.

At the front of her there is this little zipper which I can no longer budge. If I could there are 3 little cloth eggs inside of her-which of course I cannot show ,but they are the same fabric as the wings and comb.I had pondered the possibility of using her as a pin cushion.?I appreciate it when something has different purposes-if you so desire.

I have also pondered using her as a pattern to make a armchair caddy for a chicken loving friend. Her head and back could then start to spread out on each side of the chair -one side as a counter weight to hold the junk OPPSSSSSSSS did I say junk - I mean essentials that you might want to contain on the opposite side - like tv remote - or scissors - or what ever you are into?
Maybe if I actually make it to bed sooner than 3:30 AM tonight - maybe my brain will get enough rest to try to function. : )
Love to all and hope you are "creating"!!!!!! : )

Good Intentions

2012-01-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

I started off the day with Lots of good intentions, fed us-completed outdoor chores , took my walk , hung out a load of laundry and made it to the sewing room while waiting for DH's sister to arrive. I decided my next two projects would be to make a long and a short sleeve shirt for me. I pulled out the roll that contained the green variegated knit that I had saved since last year and cut out about a yard of it and started cutting out my shirt- first the front and then the back .

I get both front and back cut out from this yard so I decide to cheat on my neckband because this one will be for me .

I take two halves and sew them together to make my neckband. I have seen them in the stores and they look like that is the way they intended. : ) That way my little scraps do not get wasted. Yea. It is so nice to be allowed "personal "time with my fabric and it always puts a smile on my face. I know I will need to use the serger now, so I actually get smart this time and drag a little scrap out of the trash can and run it through the serger - thank goodness for once I did something right! That naughty serger breaks bad on me and makes a terrible mess like a toddler having a temper tantrum! So, time to pull out the doctor personality and start testing. Thirty minutes into my doctor personality the dogs start barking and I know the relatives have arrived. I put my babies to sleep and go in to greet them. Surprise.

Eddie's Mama had passed away a year ago and he brings in some of the fabric that she had to see if I can get any use out of it. My sister-in-law says that someone else had taken all the new fabric and left this. So, my cutting table goes from surgery table to examination table.

Our oldest son and one of the grandson's had came early this morning and cut up a big pile of logs that he had hauled in earlier two weeks ago and Cory was cutting it up and Ronnie was loading it onto a truck and taking it to the house and unloading it.They stopped and came in to visit with their Aunt & Uncle and then left. That left us "old folks" to eat beans and cornbread and spend the afternoon together.When you do not know how long you have with someone it gets to where every minute is special.

So, now they are gone and I came back in to check out my space. I don't know what to do first- start checking out the packages or remove them and finish cutting out my shirt. Then I wanted to show you how Miss Rosie was so thrilled , she was poking her nose in any bag it would fit and trying to open the boxes to check them out.I grabbed my camera and got ready to click when it say those famous words,"card is full".What//////////////////////////////// it should not be, but it is . I try to scoot over to the off line computer I had planned to save pictures to and all the pictures look like shadows of colors -not real color pictures and I cannot figure out what to do ????? It is amazing how many hours you can lose in a computer -whether it is one that co-operates with you or not. :)

And, instead of keyboard failure which it had told me was the problem - it is mouse failure and I have a spare -so now at least that works. Now, I am really stuck - mess all around me and hardly any progress made.:(

So, I will bid you farewell & hope you are having as much fun as I am- did I really say FUN??????? LOL

DH's lounge pants

2012-01-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

I do not know why that life just rolls right along and buries you with it sometimes. I have just been so swamped that it seemed like I could not "bob" to the surface.You would think when someone stays at home that it would be easy to get on a schedule -but when you work at a job outside of your home you usually Have to be on a schedule while there. When you are home there is always something that ends up in your lap that you did not plan on. I noticed that when I worked for my two friends who were sisters and in their 80's ( one is 92 now ) It got so bad at their homes with people popping in that I had a hard time cleaning their houses .

This is a new pair of lounge pants for DH -that would not have been possible if not for my -E-sister in Tenn. She bought the fabric for my Christmas present because I had mentioned I could not find any. What a wonderful surprise. I do believe that this flannel is much nicer quality than what I had been using. It seems much more sturdy and it behaved differently as I worked with it. I did get the fly and Pockets both in this pair. I am actually proud of them and he did try them on and they fit perfectly . Since I did pre-shrink them I do not plan on anything weird happening with them and I hope he gets a Lot of use out of them. (You can tell I am trying to keep him for a Long time and I keep telling that dumb cancer to just pack up your bags and leave town) : )

It was a truly magnificent day. I worked outdoors with only a short sleeve shirt and it was hard to believe that this is January ! I told DH that this was the first time I can ever remember in my life-time being able to do this and I really treasure the experience. : ) I was a jack of all trades today it seems, I got all of my chores accomplished and DH went down and started cutting us some firewood and when I finished my chores I ran in the house and brought out a load of laundry to hang out .Then I boogied down and started loading the truck with the wood he had cut. It was hard work , I have found that being 61 is not quiet as easy as back in my 30's , but I am so grateful to have the health to accomplish this.

We brought that load up to the stove and unloaded it into the little shed where the wood stove lives at . : )
Then he went back down to cut and I ran in and got another load of laundry and hung it out and ran back in and cleaned the living room and steam cleaned the hardwood floors . They were just so dirty and I love to enjoy them when they just seem to sparkle. I really do love them - I love to run my hands over their silkiness and tell the wood how special it is .

Then I boogied back down the hill and started loading the truck one more time. I was tired and the logs were heavy. We kept fussing at each other not to get hurt. LOL He is so silly - we brought that load up and put it on skids and he started directing me on how he wanted the wood to lay - - - but all those years when we were younger and I wanted to stack it nice and neat and he would have no part of that! It is funny to see how people change . LOL We finally got it all unloaded without killing each other . It was late then so he took off to the woods because today is the last day of deer season. I know Me and the deer will be glad for that. :)

I came in and started working on something to feed us. I was tired and it makes it hard for me to concentrate. I had two new recipes I wanted to fix. One was a mix of white potatoes and sweet potatoes that you chop and mix together . Then spray your baking container and mix the "spuds" all together and coat them with oil and oregano and thyme and salt and pepper and then back them for about 30 minutes. While they were working I fixed some muffins that are suppose to be healthy for you and you use chia seeds ground in them. The chia seeds are suppose to expand and help control your appetite and I fixed some home canned green beans with it all. I was so tired I forgot that I had meant to fix DH's venison with it , until I dished it up . I told him I had forgot to do that and asked if he wanted to wait and let me fix it and he said no, I think he was hungry too.

I do think that the chia seeds helped- I ate two of the muffins with a bowl of the green beans and "spuds" and I felt satisfied and did not have to go for seconds. (It might have been that I was too tired to life the spoon any longer! LOL )

While he went to work on a carburetor for a friend - I cleaned up the food mess and came to my sanctuary - the sewing room and pulled out the pants I had cut out and "customized " with the fly. But, as my hands moved over the lovely soft fabric I could feel my spirits relaxing. My back was complaining- but , my spirits were happy. :)

O Shoot! It is after midnight here and DH had just gone to bed and I need to hit the kitchen and put a crockpot of beans on for tomorrow , as DH's sister and her DH are coming to visit. So, I am sending love to you guys !
Happy Trails to you! : )

Bills Day

2012-01-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

Here they are all washed and dried and ironed. They just are so tempting -but my day was a mess because of trying to figure out bills. What should have been an hour project turned into a 8 hour job. There is one site that just drives me crazy and that is the Verizon whom we receive house phone, cell phones and internet privileges and I DESPISE their website. 99% of the time it is just a nightmare to go to to pay our bills. I have fought with it for at least 3 years. Why they cannot make it customer friendly is beyond me and I noticed on a forum today that a LOT of people feel the same way I do.

That was bad enough , but of course you know how it is ! I had to order DH's cancer meds - or so I thought. I called and got a nice lady and we set it all up and it would be mailed out today. WRONG! We had no longer than just hung up when a different man called back and said that because it was the first of the year that we had a co-pay of 2300.00 ! I could not decide whether to laugh or cry- that amount of money is unattainable for us.So, I called the doctor's office and left a message about the problem to see if they had any ideas because they had found a way last year when the same thing happened. Everything has to be SO complicated .It was hard enough for me to make those calls and to have no good come from them was terribly disappointing .

So, because all of these "unfun" things took all of my day this fabric was the closest I could come to sewing. I did get them all washed and dried in the hot dryer and then ironed them all so they would be ready to become transformed. But, here it is 1:30AM and I need to go fall in bed. I had just returned from outdoors and feeding that wood stove. It was very hungry-probably because the wind was still roaring and with a temperature of 10 degrees -it was miserable. I took my little parlor princess Mochia out with me . But, I did put her sweater , that my friend Patty had just given me and Mochia Hates to put it on or take it off-but , she really did seem to appreciate the effort. :)

So, I will bid you all ado until we meet once again! : )

Old Man Winter Brings Fabric

2012-01-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

Gosh, after our beautiful, mild weather we have enjoyed the last few weeks- today mean old Rude Ole Man Winter made his appearance and I was not one little bit pleased to see and hear him. The wind was blowing like crazy , shaking the daylights out of all the trees and bushes. It was so cold it seemed to just blow right through you with no place to hide.

But, this magical box made its appearance on my cutting table. Now , for a while I could forget all about what was going on outside my window and my body would enjoy the warmth too! :)

Wasn't this sweet - they packaged the fabric in a plastic wrap so it would not be damaged if something wet got to the box.

AAAAHHHHH! Just check out these knit treasures . One is a camo knit , of course which will be used for something for the guys. The pink piece is a cotton latex mixture. I bought a piece of it that I made the youngest granddaughter a tee shirt out of it and I fell in love with the feel of the fabric. This was the last piece that they had and I am hoping for a tee shirt for me? Then the little critters fabric I had intended for a tee shirt for one of my friends who likes shirts with lots of colors so that she can wear them with just about any slacks.

I will take these to the wash machine and dryer to preshrink them, so just the garment will not cause problems later down the road -hopefully. : )

You know how I am always talking about Miss Rosie the sewing cat and her LOVE for fabric. Remember I said that she will ATTEMPT to sit right smack down on any fabric that I make the mistake of leaving on the table???? WELL ???? I took that fabric and laid the box on top of it because DH called me away . This was what I found on my return! Sure am glad I stuck that box there - she is just a fabriholic~

This is the way to start a New Year! Yea! : )

Testing ?

2012-01-01T12:22:00.000-08:00

OK, I have been test-sewing this Butterick pattern . I love this pack because it has most of the sizes you would need for average size males. This is my favorite patterns for making most of my long sleeve tee shirts and lounge pants and it also included this pattern for shorts with a fly. So, I am testing it out to see what DH will think of its fit and also its comfort properties. I was so blessed because my Tenn. buddy sent me two pieces of flannel for Christmas. This piece had a yard in it - so I thought that would be perfect to experiment the shorts with.

This is how the fly turned out -looks good -now to find out if it is functional???? If it is just for looks then that is way too much work to waste my time on. I know he will love the fabric -first the camo pattern and also because it is so soft. I have not seen ANYTHING like this fabric anywhere up here around us and I have looked everywhere.

Today has been a perfect day to sew as it has been DARK and Gloomy looking all day long-and sewing is the perfect "sport" to just life my spirits. I am worried about DH - he has slept most of the day-so I know the cancer is at work and I DESPISE cancer. I despised it when I was little too because it took my favorite Aunt away from me. It is a terrible enemy.

HUM? I better go check on the stove- I had almost forgot all about it, since DH normally keeps the eye on it, so I know I better remind myself that I will need to take up the slack . I hope that you have started out the New Year with happiness, peace and joy! Since sewing is a joy to me I already have that one covered. When I get back to the house I will fix some cornbread to go with the beans I have in the crockpot! Yes, I Really Love our crockpot!!!!!!!! LOL

Love for now
Linda

A Day of Running

2011-12-29T16:34:00.000-08:00

DH & I had different agendas, but they were all going in the same direction. We needed a steel brush to clean out the throats on our outdoor wood stove and I had looked EVERYWHERE - under every rock and cranny-but there were NONE to be found in our neck of the woods, so we knew we could have to travel into North Carolina where the manufacturer was located that had built our stove.

We had planned to leave early this morning-but we were delayed because DH was under the weather so I told him to go back to bed while I went out and did my chores ,which I knew would take about an hour. It was pleasant outdoors so I even sneaked in the first walk I have had in about a week. When I got back the dogs started barking at an imaginary booger & DH was up and feeling some better.

Our first stop was the drug store for medicines. Then we were on our way. After about a 45 minute we had to go right by Mountain Plains Fabrics so I stopped in and asked the lady if she had any John Deere Flannel. She looked and found about half a yard and that was not enough for the pair of lounge pants that I want to make for DH. That did not take but ten minutes and we were on our way once again to the manufacturer of our stove. They are very nice people and they had the brush we needed. DH also asked them about fixing our stove where you can run it off of oil if you want to and they told him that the part would cost 150.00 and that running it on oil would be terribly expensive. After we almost were home I remembered that we both had forgot to ask him what the price on a stove pipe would be from them???? : ( If we only had a brain instead of a delayed reaction. ) LOL
On the way back we stopped at The Pottery where I stopped in to check on the fabric once again.But , I had no luck there either. For some reason it is like John Deere fabric has disappeared off the face of the earth Now we are home all safe and sound and I am so grateful for that!

Another Granddaughter's Gift

2011-12-27T17:56:00.000-08:00

This has certainly been an en-lighting Christmas, as I received gifts from two granddaughters and I am just so impressed with them because they took into consideration what my natural loves are- and that is sewing very high at the top of my list. The youngest one was posted yesterday with that lovely quilt and this is what her sister got me .

I did get into it and check out all those spools of thread -took a couple out and inserted some of my embroidery threads just to see what would happen and they did fit in there,so once I use up the threads already included I can definitely substitute my light colors of embroidery threads to help keep all of the dust off of them. I am just so honored that both of these gals took the time to think of me. That is an honor in my book.

We have had a cold , hard rain here all day today - but got lucky and got NO SNOW , so I am happy! I have just been dead tired today - I think my "mojo" is not up to par? It feels like I should still be sewing away up to the wee hours of the morning and does not know how to regroup and get back on that New Year coming train! LOL

I hope everybody else is having better luck - regrouping !!!!!!!!!!!! O Gosh , I just happened to remember that now????????? I have to check out birthdays ??????? : {}

Day After Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T16:09:00.000-08:00

Whew - I can not believe that it is all over. All of that hard work has moved onto whom it was created for. I think my body is in shock??? We had beautiful weather and I was so pleased. My oldest son's house was pretty full and we were all scattered all over it. He is lucky that he has so much room-but he works so hard to pay for it -so he deserves it. I have wished through the years that I could have had my grandmother's house , but my uncle burnt it up with a cigarette and smoking in bed. He was so lucky to escape with his life. Our house is so small that you have to pile things on top of things just to get anything accomplished. Our kitchen is SO small that you can hardly turn around in it without bumping into the fridge or the stove. I can't even have a table, which I would love , so I could fix pretty things to go on it. Probably better I don't because DH has a way of always piling things everywhere as he travels through. I guess that is why marriage is a compromise - plus , it gives us a chance to learn new lessons. I am tired of this years lessons - I hope I can just breath for the rest of the year.This is a time that I like to just count my blessings and take time to appreciate what this year has been about. But now I wanted to share with you a gift that I am So very proud of . This is a lap quilt that my 15 year old granddaughter made for me and she has done very little sewing. I know she did a pillow , so with this project I was SO SHOCKED to see her tackle such a difficult project, especially for me. I am so honored. This side is all cartoon kitties and their sayings.

I was also smitten by the binding that she used and what a good job that she did.

This one says, we possess automatic climatic control, as kittie hairs fly every which way. : )

But , if you turn it over it has doggies all over the back side. I am just so thrilled and talk about warm - I covered my legs with it when we got home and in just a few minutes it was hot under there. Two of the pups came to share it with me and it passed their best approval rating. : )

I am still beaming . I have always felt that when somebody makes you something that it is quiet an honor.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T20:35:00.000-08:00

Hi Blog Family-
I wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas and hope you are all healthy and happy. I decided to allow myself to pick a gift that I could open tonight. This gift traveled farther than I have ever traveled in all of my life. After all of this traveling - it is so small -that I am AMAZED that it took the ride that decently. I am so thrilled that it did make the trip. It came all the way from Australia -the land where I always wanted to go see the kangaroos in real life. But, since we have all been blogging I have come to realize that it also houses many talented people and I admire them so very much.It is such a pleasure to be allowed to see what such talented artists create. I am the lucky person that now will display a beautiful gift that I really love.So - TA DAAAAAAAA!

This beautiful piece of art work comes from Maria @Life On The Block. Isn't it just beautiful and to think that this magical piece of GLASS took that long and dangerous journey and arrived here for me to treasure. Stained glass has always been an art form that I wanted to learn- so this is the perfect gift and we all know that butterflies are connected to transformation -and I do feel like that is what my life is up to. So, thank you -my dear Maria - I am so honored and so thrilled and it is just hard to find the words to express my appreciation of all of your hard work. I could not help but wonder if this was like a sewing project in that when I am working on something -with each stitch they are in my mind and on my heart . I know that you have such a wonderful heart and I hope that the blessings you bestow on others comes back to you doubled !

The big day is coming (Chris in New Zealand at Diet Coke Rocks -Cheats because she has already had Christmas!) I can almost hear the jingle bells on the harnesses of the reindeer as they fly- so to one and all Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

O Gosh, I am tired

2011-12-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

DH took our youngest son to the doctor today and I worked the entire day on two more pair of lounge pants. These are pink camo knit, and it never ceases to amaze me how much work you can put into some thing.

With this project I had to iron the knit fabric because it just was twisted every which way and I needed it to lay nice and flat for the seams to run straight. That took at least 45 minutes and then lay everything out and cut so carefully so the seams will be straight- that was another 45 minutes at least , and there you go - you already have an hour and a half before you even get into the sewing.After sewing most of the day I looked out the window and saw how dark it looked - gosh - the day had already got away from me and I still had chores to do. I was trying to put them off until I had a completed project to show for all of my hard effort-but with dark not far away I took off outside. I took down the rugs that I had washed this morning because somehow they had dried -even thought it was really dark and cloudy all day long.

I carried out some sheets that I cover the chairs and couch with because of the furbabie hairs. I got them all hung out and started on outside chores and happened to notice that rain was setting in - so, back to the clothes line and jerked them all down & ran them into the dryer. Back outside for the chores and the rain had quit. HUM????? So, I started on chores once again and after I had finished I started to the house and decided that I REALLY needed a walk since the weather is so UNUSUALLY beautiful- temperatures in the 60's . I got half way up the hill when the rain came back and was getting harder all the time so I turned and came back to the house. I locked up the chickens as I passed by, with the rain getting harder all the time. I think the rain & I were playing a game of tag with each other. : )

SO, back to work and as I laid the two pair out - I noticed I had the elastic in for the waist, but had neglected the cord .

I remedied that little forgetful clue! Looking better all the time , just wishing I was faster.

So , now I have two more pair of lounge pants for the young gals.This is a Simplicity pattern - one of those made for the nurses and aids and thus, the legs were much too long and I had to cut them off quiet a bit. I used the medium size -but had to even cut them down . Should have used the small size - I was just afraid to. I can always cut them down - but it is a lot harder to blow something back up bigger. : )

Well I better get them wrapped and then see where I am at?
A bucket of HO_HO-HO's to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is getting closer

2011-12-21T21:46:00.000-08:00

My super visor is really trying hard to keep me straight-but it is a very hard job! This morning we met DH's sister and brother-in-law in town when he came for a doctor's visit at the Veterans Hospital. They are setting him up with some physical therapy in his own home town.

They took us out to eat and we played catch-up with them. The food was delicious and then we stopped in at Bed , Bath and Beyond . Didn't have any "spare" money so I had fun just looking! They had so many things to look at! It did not take long for all of us ,"seniors" to just "tucker-out". We said our good-byes and headed towards home. We stopped at a little hardware that is so good at giving you great advice and with their help we got the last few things we needed to set up the little gas fireplace. My girlfriend had given us a hundred dollars for Christmas and the bill to set up the stove was 96.47.

It had started to rain on us coming home and DH had a couple of "Doug-fits" because the copper lines leaded and he had to re-do them. But, he finally turned it on and turned out the lights and the gas fire looks very real and the heat is wonderful! SO many people are installing these little stoves to have heat when the electricity goes out. All of our Lowe's Building Supplies around are almost empty of gas stoves.We are so lucky to get one -thanks to my saving and Christmas gifts of two friends. Plus, looking at the flame made me sleepy- so they must be peaceful too. DH installed ours with 15 lb. propane tanks and people kept telling him he could not use these tanks- so we asked at the hardware store and they told us we could use them - but they would just run out of gas really quick. He used this size tank because when it comes time for him to pass away that is the only size that I can lift and carry to go get it refilled. I just cannot budge those 100 lb. tanks.

As we were coming home we took a little side road and I really wished I had been smart enough to take my camera. One yard was completely filled with blow-up Christmas decorations. Last year this family had put their things out and a young man went through while he was gone and destroyed EVERY decoration that he had . It was just total devastation and it not only broke his heart, but the heart of all who heard. They did catch the offender and then the whole community donated money for him to start over once again. He also posted a big "Thank-you" sign for all to see.

I have been wrapping presents all evening and I am just pooped. So many of them may be small - but they still take time to wrap and put names on. So, I am going to hop to bed because DH has to take our youngest son to his doctor appointment tomorrow and I am hoping to get some more sewing accomplished. The house is just turned upside down and so dirty from all the rain and mud that has been tracked in. It is just hopeless sometimes. But we all know how that feels at times. So , good night and sweet dreams - OR - for our friends around the glove - good morning and sweet daydreams! :)

Would You Believe-

2011-12-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

another day has come and gone and left me behind. Last night I cleaned house and fell into bed at 3 in the morning. I was so tired - and yet tonight - it is even dirtier than it was last night? What is this terrible illness ? Maybe it is called Death by Dirt????????????

This is another one of the size 3x shirts -so it travels with the blue one last night -off to do its job , HO-HO-HO ing! It is hard for me to get the xxx sizes to hang and look nice. I really like sewing the larger sizes. I wish that I cold sew for the larger sizes and support myself-but - with fabric SO EXPENSIVE it is almost impossible to compete with the cheaper clothing from other countries.I mean golly - I have looked at some pretty knits and it costs 18.00/yard and it takes almost 3 yards of fabric to make so many things? -so that is like 54.00for a tee shirt and that is not counting the time it takes. These last two took two days for me -one day for the embroidery work and one day for the sewing.

And , this is EXACTLY how I feel about it! : )

June's Christmas shirt

2011-12-19T22:58:00.000-08:00

O Boy,, I have worked hard all day long-first with outside chores and then onto more gifts. I had planned to take it to the post office to mail-but time got away from me and I had to go on to UPS. There is a young lady who works there and she is one of the sweetest gals ! She is kind and sweet , friendly and helpful- and always fun. I had to laugh at her when I asked her if she could believe it had been a year since I had mailed this and she was amazed too. But it felt like it was just a short while since I had been there before.

But, Gosh- it seemed that the harder I worked to accomplish my goal today- everything tried to trip me up. I think that Mean sewing troll has been at work again .But I better hop off of here as I am falling asleep at the computer. Let's see what tomorrow brings!
Love to all

Life can be like a run-away train

2011-12-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

It just seemed like there was not enough time. I worked late on Weds. night on the presents that were to go to W.Va.(two hour drive) the next morning. So, it was 4AM before I got to bed and that made me sleep in till 9am. But, I was in "slow motion" - I was so tired.

This was my birthday and this trip was to ho-ho-ho with DH's sister and her DH. By the time we ate some potato soup and had Ho-Ho - the day was over and we had to head home because we have trouble sometimes seeing after dark.

This is what Christmas is all about for me- to be able to put a smile on someone's face -and my heart just skips a beat for joy!

Eddie is checking out one of those trash bags I made that hangs on the back of the front car seat. They are so much fun.

I am working on another Christmas present that I need to get mailed tomorrow and as usual time is getting away from me. I am sticking with those designs that my machine likes , so that will save me some headaches. But , it takes more time than I had realized when you work on designs. Each one can easily run you an hour of time and that is how time runs off and leaves you! : )

I hope each of you are having a wonderful holiday season! : )

Katherine's Shirt

2011-12-14T22:23:00.000-08:00

O , please - if any of you have any "SPARE" minutes - please send them my way. !!!! I got up this am and went out and did chores and we ate and I washed my hair in the sink because it is faster than a shower. We took off for DH's doctor appointment. It took quiet a while , first because they could not get a reading on his blood pressure to come out right - first it was way too low and then it was higher than normal. The doctor thinks that is being caused by the new medicine that he is on.

Then he had to go back in the treatment room where they gave him his shot and finally we were out the door and I had forgotten that I had my counseling-thank goodness I remembered ! I would have been SO upset with myself if I had not shown up and made her lose valuable time that she could have been doing something to help someone else.

After that we took off to go by our youngest son's house to drop off a package of chicken that she had left in a bag of groceries for us and it was hers. That was a quiet Hi and Bye because I had to jump on the rest of the Christmas presents I was working on for DH's sister. The part for my serger had come in - I could not believe it was that fast! Thank you Brother!!!!!!!!!!

DH put the parts on and too late I realized that the serger was WAY out of adjustment.It was now a war between wills! I was willing to complete these presents -but the serger was only willing to give me a horrible mess and lots of grief. You can tell from the picture who won that battle , but I am still not pleased with the results. I am beginning to wonder if it is only when you are under pressure to accomplish something that everything seems to go wrong???????????

O! Do you remember my frustration with that sewing troll that hides in the sewing room to play tricks on me??? AND do you remember how I bragged about these new designs were sewing out perfect like they are suppose to ???? Well, I think that troll decided she had missed a chance to have some fun - because all of this work this afternoon has been broken stitches -and that is on top of that dumb serger. Now , I know machines cannot just fall off of the good wagon all by themselves and nothing has changed from the other projects - SO - I believe that sewing troll is up to no good once again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, I'm going to W.Va. tomorrow and will be gone ALL day long -so we will see what plans she works on for the next sewing day?????????????????????????

I love all of you and o my gosh it is way past midnight - love to all and BYE!

Boo-Hoo, Boo-Hoo!

2011-12-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing that I have a very loving BOSS . She has taken over the boss's seat to watch over me and keep me on track-except for the couple of times that she decided to take a break - and demand that I give her some of the deer jerky that I made for her. Of course If she gets a piece everybody else in the clan wants some too. It does not take long for good homemade jerky to disappear. I did notice in the store the other day that they were selling chicken jerky for dogs and about the same size pack as I have and it is selling for 10.)) a bag!!!!!!! So Miss Mochia can count her blessings. LOL

Since the dumb serger is down for the count I ordered the part today , but they said 7 to 9 business days and you know how Close that will make it to Christmas! Yea- too close for comfort! : (

So , I have spent the whole afternoon wrapping gifts! They are just small , but very time consuming ! I can see where my summer slipped off to-as each small item took considerable time into its creation and probably lots of love to. I like the idea that with each stitch I make that I am sending the receiver thoughts of love and encouragement. It's like being able to sit down with each person individually and just enjoy them.

While I am muddeling around in my misery I happened to discover a "Gift" in my mailbox. For ME! O, I was so excited -and still am ! BUT - I have written to tell the sender that I received it and ask instructions on IF I am to wait for Christmas before I tear into it. Well, technically - I would not Tear into it because it is quiet small and I would not want to destroy it in my excitement. It will be one of those moments like those people who love wine - they talk about taking it slow and easy to enjoy its essence! So, I definitely want to keep that essence alive! -EVEN my DH wanted to open it! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I will bid my farewells -until we meet again!
Hugs-linda

Pink camo lounge pants

2011-12-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

Did you hear that loud wailing today - I know you had to hear it! It seems the closer it gets to Christmas - the more things like to pull a good one on me. I was having enough trouble with these knit lounge pants -trying to decided which person they would work the best for . I had made it as far as I was ready to serge the waist when all of a sudden there was a very loud "pop" that scared me to death and after I checked all of my body parts to make sure I was still "kicking" - I started to look around and there on the deck of my serger I could see a silver metal piece. After having that fight last night with the serger I was NOT too happy to have it give me anymore trouble-BUT- I guess it was not finished with me because it was a piece of the stitch finger and obviously it was now "OUT OF SERVICE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I proceeded to have a "little pity party" and then I decided I was not whipped yet. So , I played around with some of the stitches on my little Janome sewing machine and decided to use one of those stitches in place of the serger stitches to just dress it up a little . I was even pleased with the way it turned out. Of course it took twice as much time to do .

I wish I could find that "little sewing troll" - I know she hides in my sewing room just dreaming up tricks to pull on me. If I could find her I would give her the BOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DH's short sleeve camo tee

2011-12-10T19:43:00.000-08:00

What a perfect day! A sewing day and that is the best kind.Our oldest son called this morning and wanted his Dad to come over and bring his truck so they could cut a load of wood from a tree that came down in a storm a few weeks back. This way he got to "play with the guys" and I got to" play with my fabrics"! That is a "win-win" event.

Of course I muffed half of the day away trying to set DH's computer up to where he could go to Ebay, (he looks there for all kind of parts and gets a lowdown on prices) But, with all the meanness in the world I had a really hard time working on it. Things had changed a LOT since I had set up my account several years ago. When I put our bank in for the payments -it say our bank needed research and could not be used and here I have been using it for years. Things just do not make good sense lately. Last night I had attempted to install a virus protection and just could not get it to do what it was suppose to and then today it installed perfectly? Makes you really "scratch your head"?????? I wish I could have got E-bay to co-operate today because he is watching a chainsaw part. Jeepers!

Remember the long sleeve t-shirt I had made night before last for DH ? Well, I did some figuring today when my brain came back to visit and decided the sleeves were just a mile too long. So, I cut them off and changed the cuffs out to a piece of dark green knit ,which was so much softer and laid better.

Then I jumped on this short sleeve version , which older son had said it was just too thin and even a girlfriend said it was not worth wasting my time on because even if I got it to sew -then the project would just wear out too quickly. But- you know how stubborn I am and I paid good money for the fabric -so there . : )

I started off on the wrong foot and had a disagreement with that V-neck! I had to rip the first try completely out, but I took a small break and when I came back and tried once again - it went just right, so that made me so happy. I hope this can be something he can either wear in the summer -OR- maybe for hunting in the spring
when he always says his winter hunting clothes are too hot- I don't think I will have to worry about him being TOO HOT in this fabric. LOL

Boy! I have had a creak in my neck for the last 3 days and it hurts like crazy. Today I took a small heating pad that a friend from Tenn. had made for me 3 years ago. It is just a small -hand size - little pocket filled with rice that you stick in the microwave to heat and since it is small it fits right on that curve in your neck. I think it has been more comfort than a pain pill. I think I better go heat it one more time. AWWWWHHHH! That's better.:)

These days are just flying by so I guess I better hop off and see what other kinds of trouble I can get into.I hope you guys are having good luck with your Christmas gifts.
Love- linda

DH's V-neck tee

2011-12-08T22:30:00.000-08:00

Today was a mixture of things. It started out with my furbabies laying in the sun at the front door. I was very tired because I stayed up till 4:30 AM working on the jerky. Had to take two batches out of the dehydrators and then pull out the next two that I had in the refrigerator marinating and put them in the dehydrator for their 12 hour wait.

The last one was for DH and he wanted his in stick shapes instead of flat pieces like chewing gum. That was a problem for me because the nozzle on the little gun had that shape , but it took a LOT more pressure from me squeezing the gun and forcing it out. It really made my bursitis wake up and COMPLAIN! Still COMPLAINING- LOUDLY - I HATE PAIN!

Blondie is the light colored Mama of the other two daughters. They looked so comfortable it made me want to go lay down in the floor with them and let that warm sun ease the pain in my shoulder.

While I was having such a nice morning by being able to STAY HOME - and work in the sewing room - I discovered that a tragedy had occurred just 20 miles from our home. VA. Tech is a local college and they had two shootings today at noon and a college policeman was killed and a male was killed. They are keeping it kinda hush-hush as they investigate.It is such a tragedy to think that these families will be planning a funeral for Christmas. Maybe they will be able to tell every one more tomorrow. This is the same college that four years ago had the largest killing by 32 students and teachers were killed by one lone gunman. Then the next year a male student cut a girls head off and the next year two students were murdered as they just talked together and they have never found the killer - and now this. I am glad I do not have kids the age to go to college - I would not feel safe sending my children there. But, then I did not feel safe sending my children to public school because of all the bomb threats and such. I hate that we seem to live in such a violent society. Maybe that is one reason that I Crave the gift of staying at home.I believe that I am VERY LUCKY to have a home and I love every minute of it now. Now that there is no violence at home - I consider it my very own playground! Lots of everything nice that I love to "play" with. I am so very blessed. : )

In the midest of all that has gone on -some how I managed to pull off this long sleeve -V_NECK tee shirt for DH. This was that VERY thin fabric that DS could not give me any insight into - so I ironed it and that made it look a lot better. Something about the dye that was used-each different color was a different texture and even a different weight and made it look like -rather a mess - until I did iron it.

I am still learning about these V-necklines. DH cannot STAND anything to touch his throat and he will pull a regular neck of a shirt way out of shape , even pulling till he has the back of the shirt half-way up his back and all out of shape. SO - I got the bright idea to test out the V-necklines, and I think it might just work out for him- IF - I can master the construction process. It actually came out decent-but ! I have decided that the sleeves are WAY too long and I will hopefully make an adjustment tomorrow night - I HOPE!

Well, kids -my bursitis is Killing me - like a fire in my shoulder joints so I will bid you good night and hope you have had a lovely day - or night????? : )

Deb's fish shirt

2011-12-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

What a day? This burning the candles at both ends is really rough. I had planned to have all my gifts made and be able to just sit back and enjoy it. Well, even if I am home enjoying it- that is better than being out in the "MOBS" of people -some act like they have lost their minds. They had a story on the news the other night about a person who pepper-sprayed a crowd at a mall and then disappeared. I think I had a little more compassion for the person with the spray-you just get tired of getting pushed and shoved and things grabbed out of your hands - I even had a man pull a big box off of a top shelf and drop it on me as I stooped to see something on the lowest shelf.. It seems like home is almost the safest place to be. No wonder more people are shopping online!

While I am attempting to try to keep up with my sewing I am still working on the jerky for Christmas. I have already worked up 32pounds of it and have 16 more pounds that will be ready to take off at 2AM. Yea- I know -terrible timing when you are losing sleep anyway-but I like to do it when everything is nice and fresh.

For the last 2 days we have been having rain out the ying-yang and when we went out today the river was wild and looking like it wanted to jump its banks.Now the temperature is dropping -down to 30 now with a wild wind and calling for a skip of snow-more than that around us.

I think I like this shirt that I just finished. It is a jersey so it is so nice and thin for the summer and instead of putting the fish in the center I tried putting them on each side and not in "THOSE" places. : ) I do love koi so very much - they are such beautiful creatures and very smart too. I had a young one in my 20 gallon tank on the bar that divides the kitchen and the living room. She was soooo very funny and they are easy to "spoil". She looked forward to her morning and afternoon meals -but if we had company and "neglected " her - well , let's just say if anybody walked by her tank she would do a BIG tail flop and who-ever was passing by would get drowned! LOL She was a real stinker! :)

I hope each of you have had a wonderful day. Enjoy the holidays as you love best.
hugs-linda

Debbie shirt

2011-12-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

Gosh, this picture came out funny ?But it is a "red-work rooster" , except he is not red. LOL! My friend , Debbie and I have been friends many long years-near 40. We met in a funny way-both of our husbands were "young and dumb" and they would get together to party.One night they decided to take off to North Carolina so they told Debbie to call me and tell me not to expect them home early.

Well, Debbie had had a lot of heartbreak in her young life then -so she called my number and when I answered her-she very quickly spit out ,"our husbands are together and have gone to N.C.) Just as I opened my mouth to thank her - the phone went dead! Bang! I was wondering if I had done anything to hurt her????? She told me years later that she was scared to death of me and she hung up before I could chew her out! Seems like my DH had been telling people that I was big as a barn and carried a mean two by four! !!! and Debbie was not taking any chances. LOL After that when our DH's wanted to take off they would leave us to baby-sit each other and through the years our friendship just became more precious and probably saved both of our lives a time or two. : )

I am quiet nervous about this fabric-it is a double knit and a medium weight-but since it is double knit it has a lot more stretch than I had planned for???? I have the most trouble remembering that Double knit is heavier and more stretchy and jersey is so darn thin -but rayon in it makes it stretchy -yet cotton does not stretch much at all?????

The good news would be it will not be wasted as she has a daughter who is larger than she is and she can always use clothes. : )

Well, I better hop to the kitchen and take off another run of the jerky!
Love to all! : )

Meagan's T-shirt

2011-12-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

This will be for my youngest daughter-in-law and I got to work with that really neat pink fabric with the silver dots all over it. She is very computer savvy and I hope this might get a smile-after all chocolate is some girls best friend and medicine for the soul. I do know that certain dark chocolate is even good for diabetics.

The day was lovely and it clouded over this afternoon with a light mist of rain. DH had me working on the deer jerky. It took me half the day to locate my recipes because when the one computer crashed that was the one that I had the most recipes stored on-like a dummy.: )

I mixed up two batches first thing and then we had to go to town to mail the bills and grab ingredients for the next batch of jerky. We came home and I put the first, which was a basic jerky in one dehydrator and mixed up the second barb-b-q batch and put that in the second dehydrator.

That took most of the evening and then I washed all the equipment that I had mixed and the little gun that shoots the jerky out in a flat stick . Then I mixed up two more batches of 8lbs each and put them in the fridge to marinate over night. That way I can take them out in the morning and put the next two batches in at that . time. I picked up the bags that I will need to put the finished jerky in to store them for Christmas . The grandkids really LOVE this stuff.` I bet they would NEVER dream in a thousand years how hard it is for a vegetarian to do. : ) But , life seems to be all about compromises of some kind or the other. : )

Well, it seemed to take most of the day to pull off the jerky mess and it is now after midnight and I am in the sewing room with a little peace and quiet. My want to finished this one up - but my can do is just fizzled! IF ONLY I DID NOT NEED SLEEP! It just takes up too much time! : )

Would you belive that here it is December and when I stepped outdoors the earthworms were all hanging out all over the place. What a pleasant surprise! IF ONLY ALL WINTER could be just like this?????? : )

Dainelle's shirt

2011-12-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

This will become our youngest granddaughter's shirt. She has a little beagle that she rescued and she named her Molly.

This was the "sweetest" piece of fabric I had ever worked with . If I had known I would have purchased a little more-but when you order from the Internet -it is hard because you cannot touch it. It had pale silver dots all over it -it was So soft and it did not matter how you wanted to treat it - it loved you still. : )

Here it is a brand spanking new week-wonder what we will all do with it? I know that DH has to take our youngest son to the doctor tomorrow. I have got really disgusted with doctors and the amount of pain that he is still in - after Two years. I am beginning to think that they are all Quacks!

"Well, I better go fall in bed I am pooped. O SHOOT- I forgot that the deer meat is now ready to turn into jerky. ////???????????????????? Me and my brain.

Love to all!

Ashley's shirt

2011-12-03T19:59:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day! It was the last day of deer season for rifles and I know that the deer are glad, as am I.;0
There are two that are hanging tonight to be processed in the morning and DH wants me to turn one into jerky as Christmas presents for the grandkids.It is this time of year that I always wish I could "clone"myself and have some help. LOL But, I will worry about that tomorrow. I have spent the last few hours wrangling with those monthly bills once again .I am so glad that the months only come once a month! LOL

But, I have another shirt off of my list now. This one is a combination of the knit left over from DDL 's shirt the other day -AND- a piece of knit left over from her shirt last Christmas- SOOOO _ I tried to tie the colors from the sleeves and collar -to - the design on front. Both if these fabrics are a jersey knit and are very thin. I have a similar shirt to wear in the Summer and it is so lite weight that it makes me feel like I am naked. LOL These are the shirts that you need when it so just dripping hot!

I don't think I have already said this, but-as I have been working with these last few designs I happen to realize that the Machine that Hates ME and has Hated me for the last 2 years has ALL of a sudden WORKED! I am afraid to say it out loud - but it has worked and not broken one thread or eaten one hole in the fabric . I even got to make a trip to the bathroom and back and it was STILL WORKING! I even had to change the bobbin twice and IT STILL WORKED!

So, I put my thinking cap on and realized that I had just tried these designs from a new digitizer and the site is called Dainty Stitches. My mind just cannot accept the thought that this one person might have just saved my sanity. If that is what it takes - I will gladly use her designs. I really need to write and thank you.

Thank you for stopping by to visit . I love your company!
Love to all - Linda

A Gift Means So Much

2011-12-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

Having friends is one of the greatest gifts that we are allowed on this lifetime on Earth. They are like candies - they come in all colors and flavors and with their own gifts that makes them so special from each other. I am SO grateful to all of my friends -both virtual and otherwise. When you share a interest with another that makes it so nice also and you can learn a lot about your interest and you can learn a lot about yourself and your friend.

Today was a pretty day and it was pet shop day and then to the mill for critter foods and that takes most of the day. When we got back home our mailbox was full-stuffed -I could barely pull the contents free. Most of it was junk , of course-but there was a white package that looked interesting and I had not ordered anything?????It was a package from Lynne!

Brother-in-law , Eddie had come over from W.Va. to hunt with DH tomorrow and after they ate I carried my prize possession to the sewing room with me.

Well, right off the bat I decided that I Must have Too much Kid still left in me. Have you ever noticed if you buy a toy for one and they ALWAYS love what contained it better??????????? Welllllll, these beautiful little kitties jumped out at me right off the bat. If those kitties JUST contained AIR- I was now Thrilled!

As I spread the kitty fabric back this lovely angel greeted me and I dearly Love angels! This one mystifies me because it smells divine! I do not know why or even how-but my nose just doubly loves her.It makes me think of when I was a little girl and Mama had a pretty , colorful string of multi-colored beads. These beads always SMELLED good. I loved them too- and although they are very fragil now -because I am almost 61and they have been around as long as I have. : )

O MY! It takes a real sewing Guru to be able to know this much about what your heart would desire! O, and I know she is because I have seen her work! I am so thrilled to receive this! But, she really did outdo me with this:

Isn't it adorable! It looked like a little "container" to me. That top looked like the perfect "lid"and I did try to figure out how to open it. After a few minutes of being mystified! It hit me like a ton of bricks- a pin cushion! We both enjoy pin cushions. How cute was that! And how much fun it was for me! LOL

How Wonderful Are Our Friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )

Tracy's tye dye

2011-12-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

This will be for my daughter-in-law#1 . She has always liked anything tye-dyed and I picked this up from fabric.com and it is a rayon knit jersey fabric. I knew that jersey would be thin - but this was a real challenge to sew. I took it really slow and easy - instead of listening to my brain that was telling me I needed to hurry- I pretended that was not true and only that I was going to enjoy each little stitch -and I did not make as many mistakes as usual. I guess I do not do good under pressure.

It was sunny today but chilly as it did not get out of the 40s. But we were very lucky compared to places in California where they had winds up to 80 mph and they showed pictures of trucks blowed over & electricity was out everywhere. It really looked bad.

I have worked hard today with this shirt. I was not as happy with it as I thought I would be-you know how that is. But, I am going to count my blessings!
Love to all

Emmett's Green Lounge Pants

2011-11-30T14:38:00.000-08:00

This is my project for today- a pair of Knit lounge pants that I think will work for Summer time. If you wonder about the "Customized"strip -that is where I neglected to get enough fabric (Grrrrr//// rrrr) and I had to "Patch" two small pieces together to manufacture one piece long enough for the front of the legs..

But , let me show you what "The Sewing Forces that be" throwed out for me to deal with today.

Sorry , it is blurry - but- you can still tell that the stitches are spaced nicely - - But- all of a sudden the machine just "changed"it's mind and this is what it wanted to do instead:

Darn, still blurry -but you can see that NOW the stitches are Very close together and it did this all on its little ole self! No wonder my head is always in a spin.

All that fuss and yet, I did finally get them together. I only managed one other little boo-boo, as I was sewing the elastic in I manage to let it get twisted somehow -so I had to pull it back out and straighten the elastic and now it works right. You know that part in the tv stories about the safe cracker who puts his ear to the safe to HEAR the tumblers? For me it is kinda like that - only that click just doesn't happen and that is how I keep getting myself in trouble.So, If anybody has any EXTRA tumblers laying around out there - please send them to me. LOL

Ronnie lounge pants

2011-11-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

AHHHHH! Another Perfectly lovely day. Not quiet as warm and the wind is rather stiff-but still a perfect day. I have completed another pair of lounge pants for one of the grandsons. He is like me in that we both seem to stay cold in the Winter time-so, I looked for him a piece of fabric that was the warmest I could find. I was so pleased to find this piece because it is SO warm and soft and fluffy inside. Perfect for this small framed young man -That is UNTIL I discovered this.

I had already cut out one set of legs when I discovered that the fabric that was left had this mess along the selvage and into the fabric itself. I was so disappointed. I remember looking at one bolt and discovering this and my friend that was with me picked up another bolt and it did not show any disfiguration. So, I guess it must have been on the inside of the fabric. O well, no matter how it got where ever it got and how I missed it- this is one time that I just have to live with it. I hate it.

After I discovered how to do the blind hem stitch I use it on most everything. I love it, but I have had a problem using it on the tops of lounge pants that have pockets.I sat down and studied it today before I sewed the top casing and I decided that where the needle sinks down into the folded pocket fabric -the thickness is too much for the needle to sink all the way through all of the fabrics. So, I caved in and just used a regular stitch.

I was pleased that I had paid attention to that little snag - ONLY - to discover that I had sewn the pockets in backwards! LOL

But I throwed my disappointment out the window and used it as a good excuse to sit down for a while as I ripped the casing all out to turn the pocket towards the front . My legs appreciated the break. Shame on them!

I finally got everything sewn together like it was suppose to do and thought about just folding them up-but- Lynne had taught me well that you really need to iron a project to set the stitches and just make it look better. After all the work you put into a garment then you really want to set them off! So, I pulled out the iron and worked on those stitches. Then I was more happy with them.

I got tickled with one of my dear friends -we were emailing of projects and she said she intended to have a pj day. So, I said I wanted one too and that way I could work on lounge pants- To which she replied that she meant a day to run around in her pj's all day! LOL Isn't it funny how we can misinterpret things in our head! LOL

Camo hooded jacket

2011-11-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

I had a very nice day. I am so in love with this beautiful weather! But according to the weatherman - it is about to change! I DON"T LIKE CHANGE! :) When I was young I always loved the challenge of changes -but I have learned that I discovered my rut and I love it. : )

I kinda accidentally found this piece of fleece when I was looking for something else. Of course I made the mistake of reaching out to touch it and discovered its SOFT texture and it is also a heavier weight than what my little jacket is made out of .

Our youngest son has always loved camo colors so it is a personal challenge to me to try to find a new color or combination of colors to bestow on him each Christmas.. He lives in constant back pain now - so any little thing I can find to put a small smile on his face is a real joy to me.

This jacket and I have a "relationship" of trying to understand each other. It started out when I looked for the proper size zipper and found that I had one in green and I thought green would work ok -with the browns.So, I used green thread also - until it came time to sew the zipper in and discovered that I had looked at the size wrong and I now had a bright yellow zipper instead????? NOT a bright idea for a young man's camo jacket in my book.

As I sat pondering my dilemma, my eyes happened to rest upon the first little lightweight fleece jacket that I had made under Lynne's tutorship. I have had it for 6 years now and I still love it to death.It is not good for COLD weather , but I keep hoping I will figure out a way to make a fleece jacket that is able to do that. Plus, I adore it because I am its co-creator. I was the creator behind the drunk needle!LOL

As my eyes wandered over my treasure I noticed that it had a Brown zipper in it! This was because the first time I got stuck in my jacket -Lynne had to cut me out of it- and thus when I got the money to purchase a new zipper - the only one I could find in my area was a Brown zipper at that time..

Hummmm?????My eyes went from one to the other and back Several times. It was no trouble to cut the zipper out and I did apologize to my green jacket . I did manage to sew the brown zipper in the brown jacket. But when it come to putting the Yellow zipper in the green jacket - I guess it was mad at me because I ended up sewing the zipper in-but when it came to the bottom where you hook the two parts together ----- I had curled them under the jacket and thus I could not hook them together at all. Yep- that jacket was pretty mad at me. : ( It took me a few tries- but I finally did get my head screwed on right and managed to get BOTH jackets with each one a zipper and now I am happy! Another Christmas present completed! Yea! : )

Hanging In There

2011-11-27T18:10:00.000-08:00

Today was another absolutely perfect day. The weather was in the 50's and later it got cloudy , but it was so comfortable and smelled so good. I managed to get in my two short walks -one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It was kind of a lonesome walk because it seems that most of my wildlife are now in someone's freezer. I Hate that., but it seems that is the way things work when you are young and blindly in love and you have a fellow who lives to hunt.

I fed him the chili beans with the venison burger in them . I had to laugh because I stuck my finger in the broth to see how the seasonings were . BOY - I had surely stumped my toe when I added the salt! LOL - I noticed that those fellows DRANK a lot of water yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL Now I know why! LOL

I think this makes the last of the car caddies. Then I started to work on putting the zipper back in my jacket that I had robbed for the jacket for a son. At least I finally got both zippers where they belong! Yea! ; )

Gamer For Life

2011-11-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

Well, Blogger just hates me again. I tried every trick I could think of to post a picture of what I have been working on- All Day Working on! I have finally found something that deer season is good for - For getting men out of the house ! That leaves that you just have to feed them - but still more time to work on Christmas presents.

O MY GOSH - would you look at this! I accidentally hit the wrong button and behold the magic of a boo-boo! LOL See, I was telling the truth - I completed this car caddy for one of the grandsons who is a game whiz!

I also started working on a jacket , but I must have got too tired and started making mistakes almost right off the bat. I have made this patter before too! Darn Brain! Wish it would just co-operate! But, the good Lord willing - I will see what tomorrow brings

Love to all!

Peyton & Hannah car caddy

2011-11-25T16:20:00.000-08:00

This car caddy will be for two of the great-granddaughters . Peyton is one and Hannah is only a couple of months. I hope to put a container of wipes and a trash bag and a couple of toys for each. If I can pull it off - it might make a nice touch to put a baggie of Cherrios for the munchies for the oldest one. I am so pleased with this one. When up close the butterflies are so pretty and cheerful.

It was a lovely day. The guys spent the day hunting and after I had fixed them a pot of turkey soup and chores & laundry -then I spent the time in the sewing room and that is how I am getting my Christmas presents accomplished.

I really need this time desperately - as time is slipping away from me so quickly. I told DH that I wished all of Winter-time could be like today -pretty and sun shiny and warm. I loved it. I have a load of fabric in the wash machine getting it ready to tackle. Maybe , If I can get to bed early -I can get up nice and early and see what I can accomplish. When it gets this close to Christmas I get the feeling I want to panic because I have not not nearly accomplished what I would love to. I will just have to see how it goes. Money has just been SO tight and fabric sales SO scarce!

Well, DH wants me to make him some biscuits and he is hoping if he puts them in the fridge uncooked that he can fix them in the morning!
BYE Fore now! : )

Holiday greetings

2011-11-23T16:09:00.000-08:00

I do not know what is wrong with Blogger tonight , but it will not allow me to insert a picture! I know everybody all over the world does not celebrate Thanksgiving like we do over here-But I can still give Thanks that I have all of you in my life!

Tomorrow we are driving to have Thanksgiving with Doug's sister and her husband . Of course I will miss out on the 'real food" -due to not having any top teeth. : ( But , that does not let me still be thankful! I do wish everybody a wonderful day .

I am still working on the car caddy organizers -so I will hope to see you later this week with new adventures of doing things backwards to learn how to do them correctly! : )

Love to all -and don't blow away ! It feels like our house will be blown off of its foundations we have so much wind. That might be the only way I ever get to be blown over to Australia or New Zealand!

Bad Blogger - BAD, BAD, BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

K- BEAR car caddy

2011-11-22T13:27:00.000-08:00

Seems like I am having another one of those days when no matter what you lay your hand to - it just will not co-operate with me.

I did get my morning chores accomplished and came in and ran a piece of cauliflower through the blender and fixed a baked potato to go with it, but as I tried to eat the cauliflower the blender had left big chunks that my toothless gums could not do anything with.

Then I made it to the sewing room because the guys were all out hunting-Yea.

I knew I would want to take a picture of this project I was working on but my memory card was totally full from the birthday party. I was afraid to delete them until I had them saved multiple times -but I could not get the flash-drive to pull up on my sewing computer so I hopped all over the place trying to find one that would . I finally found one that would -But- when it downloaded them - they looked like spotty clouds! GR. Not what I wanted so I tried another and it said I did not have a software to open them. I was beginning to feel like I was beating my head against the wall. So, finally I just gave up and settled for the two different places that I believe worked for me. After losing pictures and embroidery designs and sewing patterns to dumb computers - I am just not very trust-worthy with them. I had bought these two new flash-drives and both of them have all kind of junk on them that is beyond my understanding while I am in "Christmas mode" with no brain cells to spare! : )

I made this car caddy with the three different pockets because I had stuck a cylindrical container of "wipes" in the top pocket to test it and it just fell over and laid down -so that was why I divided that pocket in half-to make it behave itself! Like anything else has tried to behave itself today! LOL

It is nice here today , but has been so dark and dreary . But, I am grateful to finally get something accomplished! YEA!

How Do They Get Away So Fast??????????????????

2011-11-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

I got to see this picture today of my granddaughter -and how she dressed for Halloween ! She is suppose to be a zombie and if you ask me - I think she Really pulled that one off! LOL

I did get to take my walk this morning and this afternoon. I was a little edgy because there were deer hunters all in the area -but - I feel like my walks are so important!I can tell a world of difference if I miss a day or two, and it is a challenge to get back to where I have worked so hard. .

After I got back and straightened up it was time for DH to go to the doctor to learn how to take this new medicine. I really do like this lady doctor. She is not only beautiful , but smart too and for us that is a winning combination. She taught him how to handle this medicine and they agreed to not start it until Sunday and that way he could enjoy his thanksgiving -just in case it makes him sick or something like that.
I had tried to call in his meds this morning and on all of them they had some reason they would not fill them-so I loaded them up and showed her. She was amazed because they were all still in date and DH had managed to stretch them even further than he was suppose to. She told him that maybe he needed a new drug store-so we went past CVS and stopped at a small drug store in town that we had gone to Years ago. I did not even realize that it was still in existence . They treated us so nice and DH was happy about that .

Well I have got to run in the kitchen and put on a crockpot full of beans so I can fix DH chili beans for tomorrow and then I hope to hit the bed because he has a bunch of folks to hunt with him in the morning.
So love to all Linda.

Baby Emmett's Birthday-Big # 1

2011-11-20T20:03:00.000-08:00

This is our youngest Grandson right now and he just turned the big ONE!

This is the birthday cake that Dana - the Aunt on Meagan's family side made for him. It is a treasure chest . She had been working on a "CARS" theme , but since Meagan could not find what they wanted for the party -they changed it telling Dana at a later time. So, she had to scrap the cars and turn to Pirates theme -so that is where the Treasure Chest .I had to ask her what it was that she made the spilled Gold and she said it was vanilla wafers crumbled up. !

This is a tiny strawberry cake that Dana made just for Baby Emmett to have to do what he wanted with it. I was so amazed with it that I told them to freeze it and keep it forever for him. Yea, I hear you. : )

This is Meagan's Mom following Baby Emmett around - he is looking at the big glass door to see what family members are doing outside.

Mom & Dad and Grandpaw - helping him enjoy the treasures of the spoils- I hope that is the right spelling .

And finally he had his very own cake. The fondant was too hard for him to break into it , so Grandpaw cut a part of the side open where he could taste it. You would have thought that First taste was poison - from the look he made

Well, he actually made it through the party and then he fell asleep in his Dad's arms after his Mom had done a clean up job on him. Hard to believe that year went by So fast - but it did - I guess "time stands still for no man" is SO true! : )

Great Grand Baby and Car Seat Caddy/Pomeranian

2011-11-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

My morning started out with chores as DH and two of the grandsons went hunting. Our granddaughter was curled up in DH's bed with the baby-so I came into the sewing room trying to get ready to accomplish something and Miss Rosie had other plans . That sheet is draped over the project that I had in mind and she turned "psycho-cat. She was all over it -clawing and flipping and digging at the sheet .

After the cat-show the great-grand baby came to life and that was what went on the rest of the day. Whew! I don't know how his lovely Mama keeps up with him.But , he is a little doll.

I had forgotten how dangerous a house can be when there are toddlers around. Drawers to pull open and steps to fall down and rugs to trip you and doggies that had to be locked in my bedroom to protect both baby and dogs. : )

Isn't it hard to believe that we All started out learning and look how we have turned out- all because someone loved us along the way, or someone made for sure that we got what we needed to survive.

But , along the way I did get one car seat caddy accomplished. Although the writing is not showing up it says I love my Pomeranian and I divided the pocket at the top as it kinda wanted to gap open.

Dreams of Projects Yet To Come

2011-11-18T21:31:00.000-08:00

This is one of the pieces of vinyl that I got at SchoolHouse yesterday. I am in the process of trying to square it up. It turned out to be a real "sparring match". I just cannot get over how fast time eludes us when we are engrossed in a project.The day was just gone -erased like it had never been - with only the scatterings of this project I am working on.

I have actually got my pieces cut out and in the process of figuring out how to lay them out and what designs I should use to bring a smile to our faces .

Chris, from Diet Coke Rocks sent me some suggestions for what to call these creations and I really appreciate that. I like all of her choices ! Thank you , Chris.

DH was working on his truck because it had blowed a head gasket and as he says - things always go awry when deer season comes around each year.: )

Cocoa was trying to figure out what all the racket was about between DH and little Miss Mochia. You would have thought the house was falling down !

DH thought he was going to have a nice fat piece of cheese-but not with Miss Mochia around. She could Smell him cutting it and by the time his butt hit his chair she was right on his lap fussing at the top of her little lungs to let him know that he was not allowed to have cheese IF she was not .

I would if it has anything to do with me feeding her Mama cheese when she was pregnant with Mochia????

Well, I better fall in bed as the kids are suppose to show up at 5AM for deer hunting. I hope they will stay outdoors and let me sew. I have a list a mile long that I Have to get accomplished some how! I almost have the first of those pink car caddies finished . I got tired and then forgot how I sewed the handles on??? Wish I could just poke a quarter in my ear and my brain would start to work again. But - NOOOOOOOOOO- it thinks I am suppose to go to sleep and get some rest. It soooo, does not play fair!

So, I hope to catch you again tomorrow and hopefully with some success to show! : )

Treasure Hunt

2011-11-17T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today was an interesting day. One of my dear friends and I took off to visit The Schoolhouse -my favorite fabric store . Three stories of fabric to your heats contentment! Of course I got lost in the "knit-room" and my enthusiasm must have rubbed off on her because she ended up getting two pieces of Knit -planning on making herself and her youngest daughter shirts. It was so neat to see her enthused. Of course her choices were much different from mine and that is one of the things that is so neat about knits-they are just so varied. She likes knits with texture and I prefer single knits or jersey knits and occasionally double knits . Of course I did drag in a piece of sweatshirt fleece for a pair of lounge pants for one of the grandsons who is like me and freezes to death all winter. ( I HATE Winter!) IF ONLY ??????????????????????????? Hum? Caught me daydreaming - didn't you. LOL

As we were coming home our next stop was at The Goodwill where we browsed through all kinds of used clothing which was MUCH cheaper to buy nice ready made clothes than it is to buy fabric and Make clothes?That just hits me as so sad. I always look for super-extra big sizes with the plan to rip them apart just for the fabric - BUT - I have never found a piece to do that with unless it has a monster stain right where you could never disguise it. : ( She found some really nice toys for her grandchildren for Christmas.

As we were leaving the store a snow-blizzard hit us. It did not last but about 20 minutes -but it was pretty amazing! We had such a nice ride home and it was such a treat to spend time with a friend. LOL It amazed me that I have actually got to see her TWO TIMES in the last month . LOL That hardly ever happens for us.

I would like to show you the knits, but they are in the wash machine getting their baths so I can start turning them into Christmas presents. O, LOL - I almost forgot to say that the two colors at the top are two pieces of vinyl that I got to work on some more of the car storage bags. Wish I could figure out some other kind of names for them-something snazzy -something catchy ???? Got any ideas????? : )

Happy Thoughts Organizer completed

2011-11-16T15:30:00.000-08:00

DH had a doctor appointment for today at 1:30 , so I finished my chores and we ate and when DH got latched onto a tv program I tiptoed to the sewing room to work on my second organizer. I had the front pockets sewn in place and now I had to put on the lining and the top hanger strap.

I do not know what happens to me with these projects -but when it comes to the liner and that hanger -my mind just panics and cannot see how to place them??? I even pulled out the first one I had completed and studied it for inspiration. What ever causes this really makes me angry- I know that does not help- but - well -you know how it is ,when something you want to accomplish seems to elude you. It just really stinks!

I know that it is a lesson that we are suppose to learn and when you cannot figure out how to place things to make them turn out right -then we come to an intersection in all the different paths we can take. SO many paths - which is the one to choose?????

I decided my first attempt would be to sew the lining to the front with right sides facing each other. I knew that part was right -but I was concerned about how to fit the handle on the top and make it look neat. But, after this first step I was happy with my choice and when my "MoJo" Had a little success - it started to flow better and I became more self-confident- YEA~

By then it was time for DH to go to the doctor and as we drove over the clouds got blacker and blacker and blacker. You know how doctors offices are - so boring- you wait and wait and then wait on more waiting. But there was a ray of hope-first they gave him a different shot for his bones because that one last month had made him so deathly sick

The young lady was so funny -she always tries to be so professional and Dh picks on her until he gets her laughing. One thing I can say for him is that he is not happy with sour faces and everybody is usually laughing as he leaves the building.

DH tried to nail the doc down about if these medicines can really prolong his lifespan - is it worth the side effects? First the doc said he could not tell him as it depended upon so many different things. Finally he said DEPENDING on how his body accepts the treatments -hopefully two years.Talk about a load being lifted - I think we both got lighter after we left. How wonderful that would be! His new medicine comes tomorrow and then he has to go back to the office Monday for what they call a -Teaching Date" - where they will give him directions on how to use this new stuff and what to watch for.Then he goes back one time each week for two weeks out of each month.

So, for the moment we are both so blessed. A couple can make a lot of memories in two years. As we headed home - the rain arrived and followed us home. We both went out in the rain and completed chores and came back in the house -where my heart longs to be. Especially back to the sewing room -and Tomorrow one of my oldest friends and I are getting together to go to THE SCHOOL HOUSE Fabric Store - way out in the country -but it is my favorite of all the stores it know. I love the people who work there - I Love the school and all of its class rooms filled with fabrics and sharing time with a dear friend is always a good thing-even if we do have to "Solve World Problems"., which is what we have always seemed to do for the last 40 years of friendship. SO, I am hoping now to pull out my Christmas list and figure out what projects I hope to do for each person and then make for sure that I write down the amount of fabric that it takes to pull it off!. See how fast life runs off and leaves you chasing after it. But , I am glad to have the strength to chase it.

Love to all for another day.
Linda the sewing granny

Happy Thoughts Organizer

2011-11-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

What a lovely morning it was . I had completed my morning chores and as I unlocked the chicken house to allow the "girls " to go free to scratch in the leaves and the unbelievable black dirt that is in the pasture I had one of those good guy on one shoulder and the bad guy on the other shoulder experiences.

There had been a light drizzle of rain going on all morning and the dark clouds were creeping even closer-so - the good one told me I should just shoot right up that hill for my morning exercise BUT that bad guy on the other shoulder told me that it was much too drizzly and dark looking . As I raised my head to look- Miss Honey Bear had already made the decision for me as she had already started up the hill. That was all the motivation that I needed so I padded off after her in the damp leaves that have cascaded down on the green carpet of grass.

I know my body needs the exercise -But- my lazy human-ness just does not want to co-operate most of the time.I realize that one of my main motivations is from where I visited a local nursing home with a friend - and it SCARED me to death- so I always tell my lazy self - do you want to end up there????????????????????????? No - is a quiet simple answer which my body just tries to slide by on me. Then the health guy asks me IF I want some of the diseases like arthritis - or out of control diabetics (I do control mine with diet and exercise) The one part that my body wants to avoid. Or even weight gain -(after I just worked so hard all summer long to lose 8 pounds-do I really want to gain all of that back and throw all of that hard work right out the window) NO.

By the time I have started this argument with myself as I start following Honey Bear - I realize that I am halfway up the hill! LOL See what procrastination can do to your -and for you! LOL So, needless to say Miss Honey Bear deserves a gold star for tricking me into doing what I need to do. : )

I made it back to the house and DH and I had breakfast. My still SORE gums appreciate some kind of food that is SOFT! It has been a week today and I had expected the pain to be gone and me to be all mended. Guess I was wrong. I even think I feel one small spot where a bone may be working out. I was hoping that would not happen ! Plus that middle front is so painful -I think because my bottom teeth keep hitting that area when I forget that I am "toothless" and attempt to pull a normal action like chewing something. : (
My whole life time I thought I would enjoy growing older- you know- by then you would have learned a little about yourself -like figured out what you really do like and be able to enjoy that. I just did not realize there were OTHER things that would be included in the "bundled package"! LOL

But thank goodness after a few stray paths I finally got to my second car storage bag-or what ever you call them ? I have not even decided that - the first for baby necessities and this second one for either that purpose -OR - for having storage on the back of your car seat for items that you might need -but do not want them throwed in the floorboad -or even not have them and wish you did -but now you would be able to and have no regrets. LOL I have finished the first two pockets and have one more pocket to go.

I wanted something that I hoped would bring a smile to the face of whomever it went to -be it a Mom or just anybody that had "needs". For some reason my Machines just do not love working with this vinyl ???? I have decided IF I do more of these like I am hoping for - that I will drag out my "other" machine that got "retired" when I finally was able to buy a Janome with a "NEEDLE - THREADER" on it - since the "Mature" eyes just could not see to thread that tiny needle as easily as it once was! (They Must be making needles much smaller these days)????? : )

So I have made it this far with Many interruptions all afternoon and I wish I had finished it -but my "zing" has run out on me and my eye-balls are trying to slip closed on me- Drats!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow is DH's doctor appointment and I am dreading it. It seems like as long as we don't have to go see a doctor that this "Cancer-stuff" does not exist and our life is just normal. But , when you see the man in the white jacket and all of his helpers - it strikes the fear of the unknown in my heart.

I love all of you guys and hope that you have had a beautiful day ! I send much love to all !
linda

Morning Walk

2011-11-14T17:42:00.000-08:00

I was SO grateful for my morning walk and it seems that was the ONE thing today that was what I could call a success. Snowball leads the way on this beautiful morning - the fence up the hill is our destination and I am working hard to appreciate this Perfect walk and also to relieve stress to problems facing me.

I sat down at the top of the hill and did my exercises this morning and also to have myself a good cry. Get that out of the way is a good help. Then I turned around and down the hill we went. Breakfast was on the agenda when I arrived home. After that DH went to take our neighbor to town to pick up feed for his calves.

I heard them pull into the driveway so I went out to see if I could be any kind of help -to unload our feed. But there was none because DH did not tell Tony that we needed feed also ..... Then he took him home and we got together and went after our feed . It was not a "pleasant" drive because Both of us kept getting sleepy! I know how dangerous that is - so I prayed for our eyeballs to "Stay OPEN". It must have worked because we made it home safely- YeA!

After we got home we unloaded our feed and I mixed it all up and worked on getting everybody all fed and happy. Before I finished all of that dark had already fallen.. Now it is hard to keep my eyes open . This complication really worries me. I did have a lovely day - but that has come to an end and I am bushed !

My only regret is that I have not got to sew. I stopped to study what my next step would be -but realizing that I am so exhausted -that will not make for good results on anything I would lay my hands to. Plus, my face must be healing because DH said that I now have Yellow bruises today and my face ITCHES like crazy - a sign it is healing. But, it is still VERY Painful!

Tomorrow DH is suppose to take dear neighbor back to town - so HOPEFULLY I can sneak in some sewing there. I just need to get some nice clean sewing accomplished. : ) I might just put that other vinyl project aside and work on getting our youngest son's fleece jacket cut out! Hum? I have forgotten to check and see what size zipper I will need. Details, details, details!!!!!!!! LOL
Love to all!
Linda

Baby Car organizer

2011-11-13T18:49:00.000-08:00

The days are just so confusing and because they pass like rockets - I get lost. Today was a beautiful day- we had finished our oatmeal when human bodies started appearing. I had just got to the "critter-house" when our young granddaughter and her husband arrived. They went in and visited with DH and then they all came outdoors as I was heading indoors - like ships passing in the night. LOL

They went to work on the deer and I made a path through the house and then took a shower and made it to the sewing room as more started to show up. My dear cousin brought me a bag of dog food that his dog did not like and then a bunch of the other grandchildren arrived and also the Father of the granddaughter's husband arrived with a load of wood -where a tree had fallen over at our youngest son's house. They worked for a good 3 hours.

So, I had a wonderful excuse to stay out of everybody's way ! Yea! I completed the embroidery on the pockets and debated which way would be best to sew them all together. As I was studying -all the young people started disappearing as fast as they had appeared and we were alone once more. I was trying to figure out what to feed DH and also something that I could sip-yea-no fun.

DH decided on nabs and weenies and I ran a small piece of broccoli through the blender and covered it with a dressing that would allow me to get it slick and then slid down the ole gullet. : )
As we finished our neighbor called and asked if we would run down to their house. These are the best neighbors in the whole world and Tony had got hurt on his job where he works installing tires. A co-worker had turned on the air compressor and somehow picked up two small pieces of steel and hammered them right into Tony's left eye.

They said blood started pouring from his eye and they took him straight to the hospital and they transferred him to a bigger hospital about 40 miles away where a surgeon was waiting on him. They told him that the steel was traveling about 200 miles per hour and that it was a miracle that they did not go through his brain! They did a three hour surgery and they are not for sure IF he will lose his sight or not. It was horrible.

Way too much excitement - I told DH I thought we must be living in a "rough part of the world " and everybody seemed to be hurt somehow. For a minute he agreed. While we were there DH remembered to ask Patty about how long her brother had lived after he received chemo and she told him about 3 months. I hated to hear that part because I do not want him to get discouraged. He already questions everybody he can think of to get their experience and the results. There are times I just want to disappear off the face of the earth and not have this lesson to live through. I just plain DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN! Go AWAY BAD CANCER _ GO AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Between the worry and the coming and goings of people and the pain of these gums healing -I sat down in the chair for a minute of quiet and I had fallen in sleep-dead in my tracks. The phone woke me up ringing just as DH came in from putting his hunting room back in order.

A break helped and enabled me to get back on this vinyl project of the baby car organizer . I had cut out the three pockets and embroidered something I thought was cute on each pocket and trimmed the top of each pocket in dark blue -hoping it will not show dirt. Of course the very first thing I did was sew the top pocket on crooked! : ((((( Ding-dang IT?! I have learned when I am attempting the first of things that I know absolutely nothing about - I want to make the first one to make for sure that who I am making it for - will be sure to get it ! You know - so life cannot drown your efforts and make it impossible. That is the good part - you have your gift completed.

The BAD part is : I learn to make ALL the MISTAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!on that project -where as IF I can make multiple projects - I usually "iron my mistakes out" and get better as I go along? So each one is a win-win - or a lose-lose process. : )

After that first top pocket being crooked - I did manage to get the other two decently straight. I learned that my Janome sewing machine does not like many layers of heavy vinyl to sew through and it got really good at breaking threads as it complained -something that it had not done before! And even broke one needle too!

I did go out and measure my headrest in my vehicle and made my top strap that you hang it with longer than I had those trash only containers. I am really proud that I completed this project and have one more Christmas present to add to my tote of presents. I am kinda hoping that maybe I can pick up a few supplies to put in the pockets to add to the gift and also to demonstrate what the project is made for.I made the bottom two pockets fairly large for things like extra diapers for that emergency disaster - and some little toys that help the little ones pass the time in the car traveling. Hum???? As the baby grows - he or she might be able to reach to the back of the front seat and pick out a toy or have a extra slippy for drinks.

Love to all and enjoy this beautiful new week!

Another Week Has Come and Gone

2011-11-12T20:44:00.000-08:00

I think even my furbabies are enjoying these last few days of Fall. The leaves are spread out like a carpet and I always love the sweet smell of them and then the wonderful Slick texture that they have . Snowball is actually able to just whirl like a top and Little Bear is just catching her breathe before they both take off up the hill just enjoying this beautiful gift of a Fall day.

I had just hoped to get to sew, but of course you know how it is . Oldest son showed up to go deer hunting with DH on this beautiful day. Then the grand kids showed up (they really are Grand kids and also Grandkids) They helped with cutting firewood this afternoon and they intend to show up bright and early in the morning to help gather in more firewood while we have this perfectly lovely weather. They will also gather together and process the deer that DS bagged. Then Paw Paw promised them that he would cook them all up some deer meat.

He did ask me how they should eat it and I told him my vote was for sandwiches -something easy because I am still fighting with these terribly sore gums and the bruises on my cheeks. I just really wish I could stick my head in the sand somewhere and disappear.

DH looked SO tired tonight after they all came in. Of course he did get up really early this morning to go hunting with Cory and he said he had such a good time-so I am hoping that is what it really is?
I am pooped too - so I will say good night and hope you are looking to a wonderful new week.Now if ONLY I did not have to sleep- think of what I could get done??? LOL

Isn't that the way it is?

2011-11-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

You finally get your "mojo' working and you do not get to continue on. This morning we had to wait on the Dish tv service man. I hate to wait on anybody because I just get so nervous for some strange reason. DH fixed me a scrambled egg with some cheese on it and it was really good. I got some work finished and hung out a load of sheets while we were waiting. The wind was so strong it almost blew me away as I hung onto the sheet. LOL

The service man called us to tell us he was on the way and I paced the floor until he showed up. Once he got here he had it fixed in 20 minutes and he was gone.He was the first person to install Dish for us and I remembered him because you can hardly get him to talk at all - but on the flip side he does excellent work.It turned out to be a defective cable and now we have a nice clear picture.

After he left we ate -or DH ate and I sipped our lunch and DH went deer hunting and I headed to the sewing room. It was a great feeling to have this mood come over me and I could see what I hoped to accomplish. This will be one pocket for the baby car organizer that I have HOPES for.

But then it started to get dark and I had to go lock the chickens up and take my walk up the hill.

Wonder what Little Bear already knows? LOL Well, up the hill we go. : )

I enjoy the view so much and that one tree in the center is so lovely. The closer you get to it - the more your head looks up and up and UP! Definitely in the right direction . : )

obstacles Everywhere Today

2011-11-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

The camo fleece

I kept hoping that I would find a way to get to Fancy Gap Pottery today because that is where I get the webbing for some of my projects. It was not looking very positive because our first trip for me was to the doctor and that lasted from 1:30 to 3. I did not think it would EVER end and when I saw the time I was not very hopeful-But- DH said that we could still make it- so off we went.

The Lining and the webbing

It was a good hour drive and when I thought I could see some light at the end of the tunnel we ran into the stopped traffic at road work. It was horrible. But, fate must have been smiling because after about 10 minutes we were moving once again.

There are two buildings at the Pottery -so I headed to the building with the webbing I needed . I hurried to the back of the building and hopped from one foot to the other deciding which width to use. I knew time was slipping by and there was very little time due to the store closing. I chugged it in gear and took off to the cash register to pay.

Wrong - there were two really nice ladies with baskets full ribbons and treasures -which ended up being 256.00. They were so nice and I hopped around in my mind -trying to hang onto my manners and respect - but also wanting to panic as the minutes ticked by. Then they needed to chat because they needed directions and you know ho that is. Just as I was about to leave the webbing - they started to load up -so I got to pay and head over to the other building for the fabrics. I darted all over the store - I did find some lining that I can use on those car trash containers and I fell in love with this piece of camo fleece. .I knew it would be perfect for my youngest son as it was a different one from any that I have made him. I did the "dance" trying to decide the money problem versus the perfect gift and you know how a mother's love is -so the fabric won out. It was 6.99 a yard and all the fleece of that quality I had seen was running 10.00 and up..

I do not know why this did not post last night as I thought it was over and done with - but I guess that was just another one of those Challenges!
Love to all!

I

Our Furbabies Love Us -No Matter What We Look Like

2011-11-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

Today was the day that I had my top teeth pulled . I hated it with a passion, but not having money for dentists and having lots of teeth problems I went ahead and just "did it".

-it broke my heart . I had thought for sure that I would leave this world with my teeth intact.But, I was wrong-no matter how much attention I lavished on them - they resisted. Have you had yours pulled?

It was horrible for me -yes, I am a ninny! First I was not prepared for All of those shots and the three in the roof of my mouth was soooo terrible. The dentist was wonderful , very nice and very funny and he picked on his beautiful assistant and kept my mind moving along. I loved them both. They had donated their time and skills to this clinic and I sincerely appreciate them.

She spent some time with me while he was finishing up with another patient and she gave me such good advice. Pulling the teeth- It was horrible. I think they really wanted to stay in my mouth as bad as I wanted them to, but I knew that with all the pain and infections that I had been having and when you sign up for an appointment to be seen it always takes months or even years. The last time it took 2 years for me to be seen because it depends on when or what doctors will volunteer.

I kept my eyes closed most of the time-opened them near the end and say the needle and thread -so I closed them again so I would not let my mind "imagine" that I would feel the stitches. (Sometimes you have to be sneaky with these bodies of ours) Something about the way that they snap or break or whatever they do to separate the tooth from the bone makes it feel like they are breaking your skull. I kept telling myself I was doing the right thing as a person not having money. I kept telling myself -no more tooth aches - no more puss running out of my eyeball-you know what I mean.

He did check my bottom teeth and even the one that is broken off in the back-one side of the tooth broke off -but it left the other wall and the filling and they feel firm -so he suggested that I keep those as long as I can. He said that the top ones are decent for dentures -but the bottom ones are more trouble and some people never adjust to them. I know my DH has had his out and dentures for 2 years now - and he is just starting to really use them to eat with.

The young lady even said that those dentures will rub the bone under and over years times it rubs the bone away and can make the dentures rock and make it very hard to eat with and she did mention the little ole granny look where the chin recedes back in. I told her I did not want that and we both laughed when she said that most everybody has that to face. I did encourage her to wean herself off of sugar and I had to laugh when she said that would take all the good stuff away. I understood exactly how she felt- O how wonderful a piece of homemade fudge with walnuts in it would be. LOL

I have been trying to keep DH away from the sugar because of the cancer feeding on sugar -but it is a terrible battle

Dr. Boyle did send me home with pain meds and I am so grateful. She told me to use an ice pack on my face to help with swelling. I was hurting by the time I got home and unpacked all that gauze and so carefully sipped a drink with the pill. The information warns me against probing the area and of course the very first thing your tongue wants to do is run over and check out what has happened in its territory! Naughty, naughty tongue! How do you tie your tongue up???????????? : ) Of course it was delighted to find all these new caverns to explore - and of course the stitches- the tongue is amazed! All this new decorating and it was the last to know!!

I know I am not suppose to suck on it but the mouth wants what the mouth wants - and that is definitely not in my best interest! I did learn something interesting from the gals in the office. The doctor had got blood on the back of my shirt by dropping a tooth and they told me to take peroxide to it and it would take it out -as she said we don't have enough shirts to ruin one too soon. I really appreciated that - so I have it in the wash machine right now to see how that works. If I remember right there are a gazillion uses for peroxide.

Thank goodness for computers and I can talk with my fingers. My face is already swelling and everything hurts. That part about getting them to turn loose is terrible. I have a terrible headache right where it felt like that was where the teeth broke loose-not his fault - just part of the process. She did warn me that the worst pain might still be yet to come -she said the 3rd to the 5th days can be the worse. Of course if I cannot make my mouth behave itself and I end up with a dry socket - I think I will roll myself down a big hill to punish this body of mine for not cooperating with what I am suppose to do! : )

Or course getting home was such a relief - a wonderful place to just be miserable in. But I was SO thrilled to see my furbabies - They did not care one little bit that I had gauze sticking out of my mouth and all bloody. They did warn me that 3 to 5 days could be the worst pain -that surprised me - and as we all know - I HATE PAIN! : 0

Now, if only I can get back to my sewing - time is wasting.

Love to all!

L -

Head or Tails of it?????????????

2011-11-06T13:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to spending time with a friend yesterday - she gave me a wild idea?????? But, you know how ideas are? I had told her that I had made those trash containers for my sister-in-laws car and wanted her opinion of them.

She studied them for a while and then said that instead of just trash containers - why not turn them into baby essentials for in the car. She has two young daughters who both have youngsters and she thought it would be great to put pockets for carrying diapers and wipes and "Toys" and even snacks and then a trash pocket at the bottom????? I got a little start as I played with the pieces - only to discover that I did not have enough supplies-poo! Since I have been Hoping to find a way to support myself - yet stay at home -for a moment I held my breath to see what my wee brain might thing of this idea?????

I decided that I would work on a few of these projects and if they were not sold by Christmas - then I would have some gifts for my grandchildren who all have babies. It is hard not to get your hopes up-but that is life. I have studied how others have 'found their calling" - doing things that they love at home. One young lady developed a whole career by selling "Tooth fairy" pillows- another by selling those fabric ornaments like I made last year.

I wonder what the secret is that some succeed and others not? Do you think it is just luck -or - talent - or- advertising????? This life is just so full of mysteries and it gives you things to ponder???

A new week is upon us and I hope that each of you has had a wonderful day and a beautiful new week heading right at you! : )

Guess What This Is??????????

2011-11-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

Well, let me tell you - a ruined day, a broken heart , a financial disaster-but no learned lesson , because I could not figure out how we could have prevented it to start with? That was why I could not post last night - I was just TOO discouraged. It seems like everything just leads to many other things that make you feel like you are buried with stuff ?

We were out in the country -away from big traffic - a place that I normally enjoy going- to a little Mennonite store that carries so many nice things. All of a sudden it sounded like an explosion - I know it scared DH and I both to death because we looked quickly at each other. The sound was so loud that it gave me a bag headache and made me start that dumb trembling again.

My eyes had darted all over the car and then with a deep sign I said -O No! Our window was broken - isn't this the strangest looking break that you have ever seen? The passenger side has a very small break and our insurance company had paid for a company to come out and put that glue in the small one and then they add heat and kinda cook it in so that the break does not shatter .

Then a tractor trailer had hit us with another rock one day - but this time it really broke my heart. See why I am always whining about money???? It just never ends!

Or two days ago I received a check from the county we live in saying I had over paid my taxes and it was a refund???? Now , this was fishie to me because the main girl always adds what I pay each month and it just keeps on going . So, here was this check and I knew something was not right-so I decided I would keep it and then just mail it in the first of the year to start the process all over again. Ha! Then yesterday I get a bill in the mail saying that I now owe 249.00 by the 5th of December/????? See how confused I stay!

But today I rounded the curve and got back on track - all because I got to spend the day with a girlfriend. We had a grand ole time-we went to two craft fairs and they were great. All that creativity that you can feel floating around all those creative folks -it was wonderful. I ended up buying two small baggies of dried apples - one was plain Yellow Delicious and the second one was Yellow Delicious with cinnamon -so we had a really nice natural treat to fuel our lively conversations. : )

SOOOO many pretty things -if only I had money-but at least we got to look. I would say that it did not cost us to look -the one school fair it did not cost to look - but the second one at a fair grounds cost us entry fee -so it did cost to look there. Good thing it was cheap. LOL

I will always say that having the gift of friendship is one of the greatest treasures we can have. I hope each of you have had as wonderful day as I have had too!
love to all
Linda

Rosie and Fishies

2011-11-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

After morning chores I made it as far as the sewing room. This red box I keep the cleaning pads in that go with my steam cleaner I had used last night on our hardwood floor. Well, Miss Rosie found it and thought it was a terrific spot to rest her meaness on-er- in. LOL

By the time I got everything put away and DH had just left to go in the back of our property to do some hunting (he actually felt well enough! ) - well, then I Realized that today was bill day : ( - - - - - my Least favorite day of all the month)! POOH!

So I gathered up all of the bills and papers and checks and online accounts and set down to try to find my way through the mess - as I was counting my blessings to be able to do it this month.

When I would get too down or discouraged I have these buddies to help take my mind off of my troubles and give it a temporary break. In my humble opinion I think that we all need shelter of some kind at times from the storms of life.It just happens that not all of my angels have fur- a few of them have fins. : )

I had just finished the bills when DH came back home and we took off to the post office to mail the ones that had to go that way and then to the bank. The bank was a mess because there had been a car wreck on the main road and traffic was all snarled and people were so uptight and it was just so unpleasant.!

We stopped at the drug store which is beside the bank now and picked up DH's inhaler and we were on our way home - Yea!

We ate a bite of supper and I could see DH's eyes getting heavy. He came to briefly and then headed off to bed. He did stop midway as he remembered the wood stove would need filling . I told him to go to bed - I would fill it up. He said maybe he would wake up in time to fill it anyway. I had to chuckle at myself while I was doing the dishes because I started to hear this little tapping sounds and discovered that the rain is pouring down! LOL - I don't think I share the same love of rain as my fish buddies do . LOL

Crochet Cat

2011-11-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

It was another perfectly beautiful day -temps in the 60 and lots of nice warm sun. I knew that I would not have much time to be creative because today was my counseling day and boy , did I need it. Trying to plan for the trials that lay in front of us was getting to me- I would start to tremble inside and it would work its way outside until I was trembling so bad that I could not function. I was lucky that I made it to the kitty's tail before I was trembling so bad that it brought tears to my eyes- I was determined to finish her.

I feel that my counselor is truly an angel sent to walk through this part of my life with me.You know that nobody can "fix" your life-but -having someone to share what is going on in your heart and soul really gives you a fresh breath of air and a smile of encouragement to give you the strength to continue on your path.

I hope that each of you have had a beautiful day and been able to be creative in some form. For me -being creative really feeds my soul.

Tomorrow is our bill day and of course I Hate doing bills.Money, money?????? It seems there is always too many places to stick it and not enough of it to go around.
Love to all
Linda

2011-11-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

Today was just one of those days when I could not concentrate. I had accomplished all the morning chores and came in the sewing room-knowing I have more to do - but I just could not find it in my heart? So, I pulled out the crochet pattern for the sitting hen and went to work on her. She is so cute that it makes me feel better to just work on her.

The man from the gas company pulled up and checked out what it would take to put that little gas stove in- -600.00 for the stove and 600.00 each for two tanks of gas- so 1800.00 -but two of our trees would have to be severely trimmed and our two chairs would have to go- leaving just the couch that would hold 3 people. All of a sudden choices seemed so overwhelming that I think both of us were stuck. We thanked the young man for coming and then DH went in the back to pick up some wood and I finished up my little chicken. As I was working on the chicken a tv program called Dr. Oz came on and they were discussing end of life and if people should have the right to end their own life if they were in a terminal condition and in overwhelming pain. Back and forth the debate raged . I managed to stay neutral while I listened until they talked about a man with prostate cancer that had metastasized into the bones in his head and how his family had to watch him lay screaming in pain for the days that it took him to die. It was as if a cold scary hand reached into my heart with fear and dread and I turned it off and came to the sewing room to at least finish this project . Then I started to tremble and tremble and finally tremble all over like an earthquake in my body.

At least now I have a nice pair of little chickens to help protect somebody's hands for Christmas. I could not shake the trembling and then the tears - so I cleaned up the table and went for that evening walk. It helped to return me to as normal as I can be.

So tomorrow is another day - love to all.

Trash Bag for Car

2011-10-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

I had a little help keeping my "machinery" running correctly today. While Coco was on duty everything went well.

It was a lovely day -between the colors of all the leaves that are almost gone and covering the ground like a multi-colored carpet and that wonderful musky fragrance. It was really intoxicating. DH joined me for a while- I think he just wanted to spend time with me-then later I caught him crying. I know he is so scared and I am too.

So, while he worked on his truck I worked in the sewing room -back on the trash bags for the car. Working with vinyl takes more strength in your hands than I remembered. Plus, after I pinned hems in -as I was removing them while sewing - a larger percent of the heads came off of my pins. Oops- I will need more pins soon at this rate.

I took it out to DH's truck just to see how it would hang and it really looked cute. That makes one for sister-in-law and one for brother-in-law for Dear old HoHoHo!

Car Trash Bin

2011-10-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

O my- what started as a "thinking project" turned from thoughts into challenges. My sister-in-law wants a trash bag to hang on the back of the car seat. So, I tried to draw one out just so I could get a feel for how I should tackle it. I was doing one of those - should I do this -OR- should I do that????????????????????????

Next I thought I should pick out what ever fabric I should use -thinking that might shed some more light on the project. I happened to run across two pretty blue pieces of heavy vinyl that I had made some laptop sleeves from. I thought that would be nice because they would be easy to wipe off just in case some of the trash might be messy. : )

My next challenge was the embroidery part. I was stumped at what kind of design to put on it???? So, I just picked one that I thought had some humor to it-loaded the machine - and flipped the magic switch and - OOOOOOOO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!It immediately started breaking thread! I knew I was in trouble-so I started out by trying all different threads and it broke any of them I put on. : ( Not one of my happy moments)

Next I moved onto the tension and changed it through about ever adjustment it had - but no success. Then I moved on to the needles and I tried every needle I had and just as I was about to call it quits - all of a sudden it took off sewing ! I could hardly believe it - boy - Joy -Joy-Joy! Maybe that was why it happened - so I would appreciate success even more. So, an hours job had turned into several hours and it was almost dark outside. Sometimes "birthing" these projects is such hard work. : )

I was SO Thrilled to finish the designs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next to figure out what kind of strap I can use at the top ?

Now to figure out how to line the back to cover up the pieces and just make it look more finished to me. I did end up changing the shape of the top from a curve to a straight edge so I could sew the strap on without wrinkling it.I am glad that I did.

Yea- trash bag for car # 1 is finished and boy am I glad. Sewing through all of those layers was quiet a challenge for me at the bottom. I can tell it was a big challenge for me because I am just drained of energy from all that concentration. Amazing how much it can take out of you.

I would love to jump on #2 -but I am afraid that I would just ruin it from being so tired. I will hold my enthusiastic plan for my next sewing treat- hopefully tomorrow. : )
Love to all!

Pluck, pluck, pluck

2011-10-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

Today I feel like an ole sitting hen as I sit tight to my "nest" and count my blessings as compared to the states up above us. Just a four hour drive and they are having what the weather station calls a real "North Easterner" and so far they have 12 inches of snow and still pouring down.I have never seen snowflakes as large as what they showed on tv.They said it was the first time that they had ever had snow BEFORE a frost. I forgot how many Millions are without electricity- and you know that scared me because we have not figured that part out yet for us.

It made me think of life without my life time partner and it scares me to death. I also pondered making money to support myself and even if I could find a job paying minimum wage it would take all of that to just pay the real estate taxes and the credit card- not to count the car insurance- gas-food- electricity-medicine-phone bill- internet bill-trash bill and anything else that I cannot think of right now.
I thought maybe I should not post about it-because I am not seeking sympathy - I have two reasons I decided to post it as I go along. NUMBER ONE- it might help me see more clearly if I view it on black and whit.
NUMBER TWo - my story might end up HELPING other women like me find their way - or at least think about how it would affect your own life and how you will cope? I have not known many widows in my life-and to me that is a good thing. "But it also did not shine a light anywhere for me. Plus , as I think about them -half of them drank themselves to death and only a few had husbands who cared enough to make plans for their families to be cared for.

Well, better run and get ready for the last cancer seminar after all week. Here is the link - just in case you would be interested. http://www.renegadehealth.com/cancer/blog/
Love to all

A Little Progress

2011-10-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA! FINALLY my cutting table is clear once again. Yahoo! What a joyous event. Nothing like a clear table to help clear your creative pocket! : )

I was so glad today that I got chores done this morning because as the day tiptoed by - the weather changed to. It went from 50's to low 30's and a Cold rain with deep dark skies. Enough of a change to make your bones shiver. Days like this USED to give me challenges with depression because everything looks so glum-but after living long enough to acquire some creative insights -now I do not have those scourges - all I have to do is start counting my blessings and poking my nose in my imagination and something always presents itself.

In order to see what kind of progress I am making for Christmas I had to wrap my second batch of what I had created thus far.I keep a list -or I would always be Lost in space. LOL My list is a composition book and I started it years back when I did not want to just give the same gift year after year. So, now it is fun to look back and I have the memories -so it has become like a diary- or - maybe a journal? Anyway - it serves its purpose and now I add tidbits like the size and brand of patter that I use for each person.

I listened to the online cancer seminar tonight. It was the fourth one this week and there is only one left for tomorrow afternoon. It has been Very Educational. One speaker tonight (Marcus Freudenmann)spoke about the differences in people and treatments.It amazed me to learn that people are being thrown in jail for trying to put out knowledge about alternative medicines . The big drug companies carry a lot of Clout! It is very sad.

They believe that cancer is not the enemy . We all carry a load of cancer cells in our bodies - it is just up to us how we treat ourselves to keep our immune systems working that keeps them in line. If we fall behind in our care -then the cancer cells can start to multiply . So, they suggest that the person first -Detox our bodies to get rid of toxins(and boy-there are gazillions of them), Supplements to help boost your immune system and then change of diet and lifestyle.

I had to grunt a little because he said that some people will choose that path -and - some people have been known to say , " if I have to eat a bunch of grass-then no thanks I would rather die first"- and you know - I have heard DH say that many times . He did say that we cannot force a person to choose which path.

They also noted that unresolved issues carry a large portion of the contributing factor in cancer.Last night they had mentioned using a coffee enema as one detox method. I had taken several of them when I was fighting a gallstone attack and when you read about it - it seems like a lot of trouble - but - they said that back in the 1920's it was an established medical treatment!

It has been a very educational day and it felt good to make even a wee bit of progress.Next to see where a new day takes us. : ) O - would you believe that they are calling for snow tonight and in the morning and then in the 50's tomorrow afternoon????? LOL - and I thought I was Confused! LOL

Hiding Under The Table?

2011-10-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had days like this where you feel like you could just "hide under the table"????? It has been one of those days for me. After a normal mornings chores and we had breakfast and got a phone call to come to town. While we were there we went down to the mill and picked up critter feeds and stopped off at the little local grocery . I got veggies and DH got salt fish .

We were right across the road from where I will pick up my meds tomorrow and still have to wait and waste all of that gas to come back tomorrow. I am going to ask if I can pick up a paper to take to DH's family doctor who agreed to take me IF the clinic will allow it. That way I can use a normal pharmacy for my meds and will not have to do without because I have a brain that cannot keep things straight. Believe me - I Have Paid Dearly in pain and tears ,due to not having them.

To make life more interesting I checked the weather and they are calling for rain this afternoon and then after midnight two inches of SNOW! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. So I took off outdoors and moved the guinea pigs back into a heated building. : (

Next moved onto the mail - only to discover that I had neglected to pay the phone bill this month : (
I told you I had a brain that was faulty- so hoping to solve the problem I signed up for them to take it out of my checking account after they email me that it is due and I sent the payment in.. I am wondering how many more things that I can mess up before the day is over.

See how easy your planned for day of sewing can go right out the window????????? Next I have signed up for another two hour seminar on cancer and treatments in 15 minutes. It is very educational and amazes me at how many different ways that human beings can think about our health?

So, I better hop off of here and sign in with them. I Hope you have had a better chance to sew today than I have. IF ONLY I DID NOT HAVE TO SLEEP- then I could sew all night?????????????????????????
: )
love to all

One last hurrah

2011-10-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

After a very trying day as I rounded the corner of the house my very favorite flower in all the world overwhelmed me with its beauty and this one bloom. As if this was not enough - for the very first time the fragrance if mind-blowing! Of course to me , this is indeed a gift.

This one I actually covered up for 3 nights due to our first hard freeze. I just could not bear the thoughts of it leaving me too early. It has always seemed to me that each fall the frost hits and kills everything and then a warm spell moves in for a short while . But this time I outsmarted old man winter - I covered my treasure and still have it to adore for a brief spell longer. : )

My dear sweet counselor had to put up with buckets of tears once again-partly due to challenges and partly due to being out of my meds. Who would think ?????

I did get to listen tonight to night 2 seminar about cancer and how doctors tackle it. They go for two hours , but are filled with information. The highlights of tonight were :

I wish you could have heard the seminar tonight .Again it is mind blowing -they say it is not telling people what to do , but just educating people on what is out there.

The first speaker tonight was Dr. Francisco Contreras in Mexico who covered his beliefs of diet (don't eat red meats, sugar and white flour-- - do eat green juices and vegan diet) Supplements are needed these days : green teas , grape seed extract, digestive enzymes to help metabolize foods better -enzyme therapy to combat inflammation, laetrile(spelling?) which is a mild anti tumor agent which comes in Bitter Almond and it releases cyanide inside the tumor cells.

He was very sweet and he too had followed in his Fathers steps by including traditional meds along with alternative helps.

Second was Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy and I got the most from her talk. She started in medicine in 1986 and then started to include more and more alternative treatments along the way so she opened New Medicine in California She has a site www.centerfornew medicine.com"

She uses several steps :

1. Head - what your head tells you -Unsolved emotional issues that a person has not resolved

2. Breathing -we need exercise of some kind to get oxygen to the cells

3. Drink Water-lots

4.Diet - raw foods -juice and greens

Avoid: breads, white rice, pasta,popcorn all turn into sugar, no soda pop(it takes 10 gallons of water to neutralize one diet coke.)

Good: olive oil, coconut oil, raw nuts,grapeseed extract, veggies, use no aluminum cookware, use sea salt or Himalayan Salt , wild salmon , fruits in season (unless you already have cancer and then you do not want the sugar to feed the cancer, a good atitude, fish oil-it restores the cell membranes so the cells can communicate, vit. D (5000MG), milk thistle -supports liver, selenium from Brazil Nuts, Green tea, Egcg, shark oil-cuts off blood supply to it, pancreatic enzymes , detoxes important, vitamin C-4000Mg, , liver cleanse, coffee enemas .

I hope none of you ever have to look for resources about cancer -but just in case- I just throw it out there because I HATE cancer of all types.

Love to all!

Linda

Change of Plans

2011-10-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Well, shoot!Don't you hate it when you find a small window of opportunity that you plan to make good use of and then something blows you out of the water????????????

That's the way it was for me today. I went out and completed my morning chores and enjoyed all of my babies -whether they be fur or feathers and had breakfast while the laundry was working. I was lining up how to get in that sewing room while I was shaking rugs and vacuuming the living room floor. I changed the sheets on the couch and two chairs that catch all of the doggie hairs and dirt and brought back clean ones to put on. As I went around to tuck in a corner I spotted an "accident" one of the furbabies had had - so I quickly turned to go to the bathroom to get some tissue when I lost my balance and plowed right into an old time dairy milk can that we use for an end table. It caught my knee right where that soft spot is and the pain was so bad that it took my breath and I couldn't even cry because I was trying to breath.

My friend Debbie - has told me all of our life that "I am just an accident waiting to happen" and I am beginning to think that she might be onto something there?????????????DH came to my rescue and helped me to the chair and brought me some pain meds.After I thought it had been long enough I decided I had to put those sheets on and put the cleaner back up-but as I kinda turned an awful sliver of pain shot right through that knee and I had a little talk with myself about not being quiet as young as I used to be and I might should consider taking a load off of that knee for today and not risk any further damage-since our knees mean a lot to our daily activities. : (

So, I hobbled around and put things back and hunted up my crochet supplies and a big cup of water and a ice pack , which I put on my knee and I sat there the rest of the day crocheting on another chicken-which I was hoping to have completed to show something for my efforts .( That chicken works pretty good at taking your mind off of things you do not want to think about because you have to do so much counting -almost every row is different and if you mess up -then when you sew the two pieces together -they will not fit right)

I was almost finished and as I was sewing those two pieces together - OF COURSE- I ran out of yarn. : (
I put every thing on the table beside me and eased out to go lock up the chickens when DH found me struggling and he said he would do it for me.- so I hobbled back into the house.

I know I need to do some computer work and have that finished by 8pm because I have signed up for a week long -two hour each night - seminar online about cancers- all the traditional treatments and then alternative treatments . I am praying that maybe I can find some knowledge to help DH in his fight with this cancer that is making him so sick. I have no faith in modern medicine and a memory of something that was said one time about God helps those who help themselves keeps sticking in my brain. At the most - it can not do no harm.

It was a beautiful , beautiful fall day -they say that will change tomorrow night. I need to get that load of laundry off the line outside and hang up the load that is in the washer .Drats, Drats!

I will let you go - sending you all love -and hoping that none of you got hurt today too- because it sure makes it hard to do the things that you want to do! Maybe we are just meant to do something different????
Bye !

It Took a Hem Gauge

2011-10-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Wellllllll - that is at least rubbing shoulders with sewing-it is a very important sewing too.It is a gasket for a part for my DH. After we discovered that I could make gaskets and that I enjoyed working with the hem guide and the scapula to cut threads -also cuts gasket material precisely - I rather enjoyed the challenge and made DH happy in the process. LOL

I managed to have a pretty successful day. After 4 hours of sleep - I struggled out of bed to do morning chores. I could have just rolled over and buried my head but DH had to leave early to take our youngest son to that doctor appointment. I wanted that quiet time . My body did not like my plan and it complained by having me bouncing off the walls as I headed to the door. I knew the fresh air might help and I staggered along. An hour later I had it all accomplished and headed back in -not quiet as dizzy as I had started out and a happy heart because all the critters were taken care of and munching on their own breakfasts.

I rounded up all the dishes and fixed me a bowl of millet and blueberries and then brought in a load of laundry and took out another. As my self-esteem began to rise I moved onto the computer and low and behold I got it doing its thing! Finally it was reformatted and I decided to get a couple of flash-drives to be sure to save ANYTHING important to me on them - and that way I would not be upset when the computer goes crazy-no matter what the cause. I was lucky because I had at least moved all of my pictures before this happened ! Yea!

DH came back home and I fed us and cleaned up the mess and started on the computer in the sewing room. I almost had it finished , when I hit a glitch. Shoot, but I am still so happy with what I have accomplished . I am tired and I plan to get more than 4 hours sleep tonight. LOL
Maybe tomorrow I can reorganize my sewing space and if I succeed at that - it will help reorganize my brain.:) I am getting a better idea on that behind the seat car organizer I hope to put together???????? But, I have to have room to lay it out and ponder.

I signed up online for a week long two hour conference each night about Cancer -everything they can cram into it from traditional treatments to all the alternative treatments-which I lean more to. I hope to take lots of notes because I f you pay for a written form of it - that is a thousand dollars. ( Just pocket change-right) LOL So much to do - so little time to do it in. I still have a corner in my bedroom I am dreaming of cleaning -dreaming might take a while. Seems like life just keeps jumping in front of it -but you know - it will always be there waiting for me . LOL I don't have to worry about anybody else doing it first. LOL

Well, love to you all! Hope you have had a beautiful day!

Two Great-Grand-babies& their Mom & Dad

2011-10-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

Brandy-the Mom and little Miss Hannah. She is a month old today and she was a real sweetie. When I held her she was so tiny that I said I was glad I had not seen her any littler. She was such a quiet wee little girl.

The young Dad who came to help cut firewood for us today. I think he enjoyed getting cut free to hang out in the woods with the guys on such a pretty day..

Black Chicken Nesting

2011-10-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

Here is my next little chicken that flew down to roost with me tonight.There is just TOO much life to cram into a day for me. I have been working on her for the past 3 nights when things get quiet, because I cannot crochet and count and deal with noise.

Then today was crammed full of just living-morning chores, breakfast , dishes , laundry in and out , computer work because one of them wants to die on me and I need to Resurrect it -but need more knowledge!

I think DH had expected to see our oldest son today for hunting turkeys-but he could not come - probably working over time.So-the two of us old folks headed out into the woods where I had spotted trees down on the fence. It scared me to death because I knew IF the sheep were to get out -there would be no catching them and probably cause problems with the neighbors and I did not want that.

He got royally miffed at me and had his usual "temper - tantrums" but we worked at it. First he had trouble with his chainsaws -they did not want to start. Then we had flat-tires on the truck-one of his Worst problems that he HATES the most . The fence down was at the bottom of a gully, so we climbed down in there and he cut and I throwed brush off of the fence and we had firewood out of the messes that I tossed up the hill . We worked our way up the hill and then I got stuck in a hole in the fence where the deer had been coming and going. Let's just say -my rumbleseat is a wee bit bigger than theirs! LOL

He went and got the truck and we started at the top of the hill and throwed the firewood on the truck as we went down toward the house. Those leaves that have fallen are slick as ice. I lost my footing and went scooting down one hill - halfway down one foot slid down under a buried root and I got stopped just in time before breaking the old bones!

One time when we were on two opposite sides of the fence and a fallen tree on my side needed to be cut up - I told him that he could hand me the saw and coach me how to cut the tree- of course he would have nothing to do with that-but I told him that I needed to learn how to do it safely because there was nobody else around and I would need firewood. Still, he would have nothing to do with it and said when he found a saw no bigger than a toothpick -he would teach me to run it. I told him that it was going to take a LOT of toothpicks to keep me warm all winter.

By the time we got back to the house I was exhausted . He unloaded the truck and I cut cuckleburrs out of Snowball - the pekingese who went with us. Then I took him in the shower with me . I don't think either of us was happy -but at least I had one clean dog and a good excuse to scrub the shower walls. We was both so tired by then and when DH sat down he fell asleep in his chair.(worry, worry) .I wanted to do the same thing-but there was more computer battles to do and more laundry to do and more dishes to do. It is never ending .

So I ran out of time by the time It was evening chores and more computer battles. I almost gave in and just reformatted it , but there are some files that I would love to save and as I researched it I discovered that there might be a way to save them. I hope to try that tomorrow-Sunday - I need to get my sewing room back to some degree of order but these computers???????????? are holding me up.

Well, I'm bushed ! It is 2AM and the temperatures has dropped to 32 . I have covered some of the outdoor flowers once again -hoping to keep them as long as I can . So, sending love to all! Bye for now.

Golly jeeper- Life????????????

2011-10-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

It is no surprise that by now I need my Secretary Miss Mocha to help keep me straight. I have my sewing room all topsy-turvy as I am attempting to set up that extra computer to store all my pictures and designs and patterns on. I really hate to have it in disarray because it works with my mind.

Then today I worked hard to get everything accomplished in time to go have my teeth x-rayed to make for sure that they can pull what is left by my top ones. I have tried ssoooo hard to hang onto them -but it looks like it is just not in the cards for me.: (

When we arrived I checked in - Just in time to have her hang up the phone from calling to tell me that my appointment had been canceled because men working on the road in front of their building had dug into the water system. : (

So, I moved over to the pharmacy to ask when I could pick up my refills for my thyroid and for the fibromyalgia pain and depression. I had called them on Monday- but she told me it would be TWO WEEKS before I could get them. I really wanted to cry. I don't understand when the label on the medicine says to never discontinue this medicine abruptly ??????????????

Then when we arrived back home I heard the weather saying we are suppose to get a hard freeze tonight. There were still a few flowers I needed to get in -so I tore into that after we ate.While I was working on the flowers -plus-grabbing the laundry-plus locking up the chickens - DH had a neighbor stop by. It was bad news. This neighbor and DH had gone fishing together a few times this summer. A week ago he had stopped by and he and DH had Haggled over trading the turkeys that we wanted for two antique lamps that Danny wanted. They always have a good time trading.

But we had to go to town first and then coming home it was getting dark. Danny called DH and told him that he had the turkeys locked up - to bring a cage and they would catch them.That was what they did and DH brought the turkeys home and we like to broke our backs carrying a cage with four grown turkeys in it. LOL

But- it turned out that after DH left that Danny's son who was 17 took a gun to the basement and killed himself. It had to be absolutely horrible. The Mom was the one who found him when she came home from work -and I know that had to be the VERY worst thing a Mom can find. My heart just bleeds for her.

Danny stopped by this afternoon for a minute to tell DH what had happened. He was very worried about his wife. But there is always an investigation and they said that the police might come talk to DH about what time this happened and what time that happened???? It is very hard to remember the exact time of when you do this and when you do that ???? I can't hardly remember what day it is -much less what time I do things???

I am trying to get back to my sewing. I have figured out my next project. DH's sister and husband have bought a new car and they would like some kind of a project that you can hang on the back of their seats and reach behind to drop trash in -to keep it from getting scattered all over the car.

We also stopped in town at a propane gas business. Just a little small place - but the lady who helped us was absolutely fabulous. She was so kind and so knowledgeable and such a pleasure to be around. It is such a gift to meet someone like that .It turned out that they had 2 little gas stoves that they sell and for 599.00 you get the stove and the total installation . We asked if we could get one tank that was big enough to fill one time a year - in the SUMMER-when the roads are good. So, she said that someone would call us next week and come to the house to see where and how ----- and give us the low-down. If we can swing it - that will be our heat when the electricity goes off. YEA! But first we have to know for sure the price and then we hope we can find enough junk to take off to sell- and an old car too. But, I am very hopeful.

Well - love to everybody!

Visitors

2011-10-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

When DH woke up on Thursday morning - he scared me because he was so sick. The nurse had told us that sometimes the zometa would cause "flu-like " symptoms. He was so hot to the touch and trembling all over and could not keep his balance. He did not stay up long because he was so weak. He went back to bed until his sister came to visit with him. She is the one who raised Casper our visiting parrot. Casper was thrilled to see his real Mom and Dad. He talked non-stop for about an hour and the both of them gave DH some much needed enjoyment.

This is my favorite game that the two of them play. She rolls him on his back and rocks him. They are so funny-we really enjoyed the visit.
I managed to work on 3 loads of laundry today since the wind was whipping like crazy and that helped to dry them on the clothesline more quickly.

I did not get to do any sewing -but I did manage to work on one of the computers and get it back up operational again. Now I hope to take a spare computer that Lynne gave me -to put in the sewing room and save all of my designs and patterns and pictures on. I am hoping that if I do not have it online that none of those old bad viruses can invade us , thus keeping safe all of my treasures.

I am also investigating the work at home offers-but it is very disappointing that the majority of them are just scams. I am scared to death that if something does happen to DH then I will be left penniless and all of my dear animals looking to me for food-plus worrying about all the bills. Add to that that I will be turning 61 in Dec. and my health is not as good as it once was and no job experience for the last few years -plus my "anxiety" problem???? Easy to see why I am worried . If only there could be some work-at-home jobs that were legal and respectable.

My poor sewing room is a wreck where I have cleaned out a space for the new computer. You know how that is move one thing and then find a space for two more. Sheezzzee!

Well, the wind is about to blow us away and it is 43degrees. I am sure going to miss my Summer. : )
Love to all!

One of my furangels

2011-10-19T21:50:00.000-07:00

I had not intended to post tonight because I did not want to post negative feelings and fears. But when I went to bed my eyes were so tired , but my brain just would not shut down . I finally gave up after an hour and came in here to at least work on another crocheted chicken-something creative.Sometimes I guess that is what keeps us going.

It was a sad day because DH took one of his first treatments of the zometa -which is suppose to help stabilize the bones that the cancer has metastasized into. They wanted to give him his first treatment of chemo-but he declined it-but they also gave him another hormone shot. They told him that these fluids might make him have "flue-like" symptoms? He did ask about his sleeping a LOT lately and Dr. McCoy told him that the disease might have something to do with that and that some of the pain meds might have something to do with that. I sat with him while they dripped the medicine in him and read a book about prostate cancer . I did not like what I read... When his doctor came in to talk to him about meds he checked out his chart and very low he said that the tumor looked like a bomb had exploded inside of him .

I was lucky that I had a counseling session because I managed to maintain my composure until I got with her and I broke down and bawled for the hour. I think that each of you must try to be strong for the other-but I am really lost. I hate this MONSTER who is stealing him away from me. At least when he was burnt we were working toward the goal of getting him better-but not so with this.

You know - I guess All of us married people have this to look forward to. This definitely was not in our thoughts when our love was so new .

I do not mean to be so negative - thank you for letting me share my doubts and fears.
love to all!

Such Busy Days

2011-10-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Casper taking a bath. We are having fun with DH's brother-in-laws bird. I am amazed that DH has taken to him so much- I have never noticed that he was much of a bird person - except for watching the outdoor birds.

We have had two such busy days that I am just plain Pooped! Yesterday DH started working on our outdoor woodstove. There is a metal box on the end of it where the ashes end up at and it had rusted out and it was so bad that the pipe would not stay on it at all. So he was working on it while I had worked outdoors all around him . By the time I did the chores and then I started on walnuts I have been picking up.There are plenty of walnuts -but all these years I had used the hammer and ended up with more pounded fingers than I did walnuts-so I quit. Then our son told us that a hardware store had a black walnut cracker for 70.00. SEVENTY dollars????????????? So, I went on E-bay and looked at them -that way I got to study their design and decided that if DH had a small vice I would try that - to which he poo-pooed me, but he went ahead and found it for me and greased it up and told me that he tried it and it would not be worth trying. : )
But it worked Delightfully for me . It still took me 7 hours to crack a quart of nuts -but to me this was like gold!

Since I was picking up nuts -I grabbed the rake and started moving them from where I walked to feed animals -where I had been turning my ankles - down into the driveway so the cars coming and going would bust the green outter layer -leaving the black hard nut shell. I was so proud to have accomplished both. But - I was so tired when we drug in last night I just collasped.

Then today we got up early and went to the mill . I wanted to get that accomplished because they are calling for rain for the next 2 days . On the way back DH stopped at Lowes and picked up several bags of cement mix and screws. He is building a frame that he is pouring concrete into to support this new box for the pipe. I took in and put out two laundries and was just all over the place doing things.I am so tired .

Then tomorrow is my counseling afternoon and DH has to stop at the Cancer Center and take his first treatment with something called zometa .I am dreading it. If you know anybody that has taken that stuff -I would appreciate any feedback that you might have.

Well, - love to all and hope you have enjoyed your beautiful day. : )

Size xxl shirt starts a new week

2011-10-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

Another busy day. We actually got up early this morning and did chores and ate breakfast and took off to W.Va. to see DH's sister and her DH. Eddie had been having problems with his truck and DH wanted to get it fixed-so he went to work on the truck. Ended up getting one problem fixed and discovering a new one-isn't that always the way it is?

Kat fixed us potato soup , which filled us up and we came home and I did outside chores while DH worked on the wood stove, as the pipe had blown off with the wild winds we have had the last couple of days.

I was very pleased to complete this xxl tee shirt. I really love these beautiful koi. It just does not matter if it has fur or fleece or feathers - I love them all..I read an article one time about a home in Japan and they had built it so that the pond came right up into the living room space and the people would call the koi to come eat. They were a large size and they swam right up into the living room to take food out of human hands. I was mesmerized !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you have had a wonderful start to a fresh new week-let's see what we can do with it. : )

Saturday Reveal

2011-10-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry I did not post last night , but the health news was so upsetting that I could not put one word out - I guess I was just in shock. This is my DH of 42 years . He was burnt in an explosion back in 1972 while working at a rubber plant.He was burnt over 72% of his body and had a terrible battle . It was awful to watch the things that he had to go through. Through the years he struggled with alcohol addiction because he leaned on the alcohol instead of pain medications to see him through the many surgeries that he had to endure. It was a terribly dark time for both of us.

But,we persevered and now that we are older -peace finally reigns at our house and fear is out the door. Plus, he threw the alcohol away and turned to growing potatoes -which is a real change because he always hated anything to do with a garden. : )

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 and then had the radiation treatment which put it into remission. After cancer knocks at your door - I guess it is constantly lingers in your mind -always hiding in the shadows and I have been so grateful . But last month he started having that terrible pain in his low back. That was why they sent him to have a cat scan and a bone scan. They found something they thought in his brain-but after the second set of tests they decided it is in the bones of his head instead. So, they have started him on stronger pain meds . and then this week they will start him on some kind of a drip that will take 30 minutes to run into him - hoping to slow it down and preserve as much bone as they can.

We have been together since I was 13 -so you know how it is. After that long you start to become a part of the other person. It is too horrible for me to imagine life without my "other half". The last ten years he has really stepped up to the plate . But he has done so many things that I cannot figure out how to manage without him. Like cutting the firewood and feeding that stove- or finding a way to support myself now that I am in the 60's. Or there are times that our heat system will not run and he knows how to tinker with it to call it to life. I did ride the lawn mower today for the first time and I am trying to learn how to operate it. Machines hate me and I am not mechanically inclined. We always made a good team because I could read and write -and he could fix anything .

I had started the blog originally to learn how to move about in this virtual world and maybe learn from others how to make a living with it. Haven't got there -but I am so grateful for my wonderful blog family - you guys mean so very much to me. : ) I am not sharing this with you guys because I am complaining - but just to let you know If I am acting squirrely - maybe you can understand that my elevator is not on the right floor at times.
Love to all
Linda

Working on SIL fish shirt

2011-10-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

I did not get to much accomplished today except for completeing the designs embroidered on and a collar attached.I had trouble with the neckband because it thought it had a mind of its own and wanted to Jump plum out of where I was stitching. I tried twice before I admitted defeat for the day.

What I thought was to be a day of sewing the hospital called and they had found bad news on one of his tests.The doctor wanted an MRI of his brain - but he told her that he Could Not do that because of his claustrophobia. They wanted us there in 30 minutes. Then he decided that he just could not do the CT Scan - so they brought him a Valium and he chilled out -then this wonderful young man walked right with him and together they got it accomplished.

Then we have to be at the doctor's office in the morning for a consultation. They think it might be the cancer has gone into his brain stem? I keep hoping that it might just be a shadow - because the other is too terrible to face. It took all both of us could do to keep it together.He went to tell the kids while I went with Lynne to the Sewing Guild meeting.

We had a guest who owned a local fabric store and she did a presentation about things you could make for your kitchen . Giving classes is the way she keeps her shop afloat. I bet half of the gals in the Guild were already friends with her and they had a really good time. She had a table full of different table runners -then place-mats and potholders and pretty towels. They were all so pretty , but we do not have a kitchen table and it left me wishing there was room in our teeny house.

Then the gals had Sew & Tell of things they had created and they were so pretty. One lady had sewn a witch and she had her broomstick and even her black cat . Really neat. There were different totes and quilts - all of which was so pretty. It was such a treat to see that sewing is still alive and well.

They had refreshments and the bit of cake that I tasted was sooooo delicious. It looked like a pale chocolate bunt cake - but the taste was not like anything I had ever tasted and we were just so busy that I forgot to ask.Some gals were buying fabric or kits from what the lady had brought to sell.

Lynne was nominated to take over the newsletter. She is more than capable but she stays so busy now that I worry how she can handle so much. It rained on us coming home , but Lynne is such a good driver. She showed me one of the dolls that she had been making outfits for and it was so lovely and she even figured out how to make Shoes for the dolls and I wish you could have seen them.They were good enough for me to wear- hum???? - I asked her if she was taking on a new career???? LOL

OK, I better go fall in bed so we can get up and go see that doctor in the morning.I hope you are each well and have spent a moment with your sewing machine to save your sanity. : )
Love to all.

Crochet Chickens-black

2011-10-12T21:23:00.000-07:00

Well , time got away from me today and I was very lucky to complete this little black hen. I HATE working with black-anything" - it makes my eyes play tricks on me. When I used to clip poodles - the black hairs would get under my skin and get infected . So , black is not my favorite color- well , technically black is not a color - but a shade- no matter what you call it - it is still Black!

My day ran off and left me once again today. I got up late and went and did chores just in time before the rain came. It would not have mattered if I had got wet because I had to take a shower to go see my counselor. I thought a lot about it coming home and wondered why it is that talking to someone you trust helps you so much? My brain was thinking - can it really be that easy to understand - just a simple conversation ????? Maybe the reason is because it helps us learn different options? When you have options - things do not , look so dark and you can use your experience to shine light into the dark. I am SO very grateful that an angel was sent to help me. As she says we are all in the big stream of life - swimming upstream together.

The Sewing Granny

A Gift

Debbie's shirt

Tracy's bird shirt

New Lounge Pants

Starting on lounge pants for Christmas 2012

Creativity Feeds Our Soul

Gosh!

New Fabrics

What A Mixed Bag of Tricks

Thank goodness for my little guardians

Kat's shorts pattern

A few of my buddies

Doggie arm chair remote caddy

Hello, Hello, Hello

Doggie arm chair remote

Owl armchair remote caddy

Kitty cat armchair remote caddy

We Do What We Can- When We Can

Larger American Armchair Remote Holder Caddy

Just One Of Those Days

A Fishie Remote Caddy

American armchair remote caddy

Look what snuck in last night

Remote control caddy

More blog links

First Sewing Guild Meeting of the new year

Woe Is Me Once Again

One step at a time.

Sometimes a toy makes you

Good Intentions

DH's lounge pants

Bills Day

Old Man Winter Brings Fabric

Testing ?

A Day of Running

Another Granddaughter's Gift

Day After Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve

O Gosh, I am tired

It is getting closer

Would You Believe-

June's Christmas shirt

Life can be like a run-away train

Katherine's Shirt

Boo-Hoo, Boo-Hoo!

Pink camo lounge pants

DH's short sleeve camo tee

DH's V-neck tee

Deb's fish shirt

Debbie shirt

Meagan's T-shirt

Dainelle's shirt

Ashley's shirt

A Gift Means So Much

Tracy's tye dye

Emmett's Green Lounge Pants

Ronnie lounge pants

Camo hooded jacket

Hanging In There

Gamer For Life

Peyton & Hannah car caddy

Holiday greetings

K- BEAR car caddy

How Do They Get Away So Fast??????????????????

Baby Emmett's Birthday-Big # 1

Great Grand Baby and Car Seat Caddy/Pomeranian

Dreams of Projects Yet To Come

Treasure Hunt

Happy Thoughts Organizer completed

Happy Thoughts Organizer

Morning Walk

Baby Car organizer

Another Week Has Come and Gone

Isn't that the way it is?

obstacles Everywhere Today

Our Furbabies Love Us -No Matter What We Look Like

Head or Tails of it?????????????

Guess What This Is??????????

Rosie and Fishies