A Birthday Day!

Twenty-seven years ago my life took on an entire different chapter. This was the last of my precious babies who came to share a life with me and to teach me many lessons.Up until Emmett and his brother , Cory came into my life I had had More than my share of rotten guys of the male species. These two would shine an entirely different light on my life. I really think that they came to teach me that there were some very good men who would be as honest and loving as any male can be - IF they reach for a higher goal.

There were ten years between them and I had no idea that their sister was telling Cory that Mom and Dad are bringing home a new baby and they will not love us any more?I did not know that -then-just in the last few years did I discover this and how it would affect our family., and at times how it still does.
This is the youngest of the three and now at 27 he and his beautiful young wife are expecting their first baby now - due in November , and they will start a new chapter in their life.I wish I could guarantee them all the happiness in this world -but I know I cannot . I can only pray and send angels to guard them and their family and watch to see how their future unfolds.

But this is the reason that sewing is so important to me-because I try to send them the message that I love them dearly and try to share of myself  with them for all of the love and patience that they share with me. What we all struggle with our lessons on this Mother Earth - I believe it is the message of love. In my eyes our Father has given it to us and we attempt to share it with each other , every day.  A family does not have to be by bloodlines - I believe that it is all of us when our hearts touch and makes our lives so much higher .

Good night my blog family,
much love to all :)

Saturday Ends the Week

It is a perfect Saturday to sew-except I find myself procrastinating ! Do I have a reason - Yes- I am afraid if I start embroidering that something will go wrong with the machine! As long as it just sits there and I don't aggravate it -then it is fixed! :) WEEEELLLLLLLL? I know - that is definitely not practical. Even DH asks why I am not in the sewing room?

So I work with a few more things and ease into the sewing room - maybe it I don't make any noise -it will not notice that I am in the room - and it still Might work???????????? So I start by looking at the embroidery on the hoop that was the test for them at their shop. I noticed that not only do they put the bottom stabilizer like I did -but they also have a light piece of something that looks like stretchy plastic wrap???? HUM????

So, I sidle over towards the pile of shirts that are cut out and stand pondering the best way to go about this?  I decide that since the first one to send to war will be my oldest son's first -since he Always has to have a pocket. Of course I start Wrong - right off the bat! I had cut his pocket out  when I realized that it would be much easier to just put a piece of the knit down as large as the hoop an then lay a piece of very thin stabilizer on top  , Kinda like sneaking a saddle on a young colt -ever so quietly so they really do not know something is coming???????

I had picked a simple design of a motorcycle with no fill stitches . It only called for two colors and I liked that. I kinda held my breath as I pushed the ON button and waited to see what would happen???Well??? it kinda sewed like it knew what it was doing and did not seem too upset with me??? Then I put on the second color and I could hardly believe that it was completing a project????

Needles to say I felt like I should strike while the iron was hot . So, I picked another simple design for my youngest son and started the machine again. Hum? This time I heard an old familiar sound -which always means trouble. It sounds like clashing scissor against each other. No more had that thought crossed my wee brain - then - Yep - it broke the thread. GGGrrr!

Then I wondered if I had described it the wrong way - it is not Just breaking threads -but there is a spring in there that he called a tension spring and  somehow it rubs the threads until they look like they have just frayed thin- until there is no more thread to fray???

See - I knew I should not touch it ! But darn it - I am already in the waters of embroidery - I have to proceed.Ever so quietly I re-thread it and turn her loose again. I don't know how -But - we finish that project too. I peek through the shirts one more time and discover one more male gift and I decide to try once again - and that actually does get completed. Now I have these three pieces that I need to turn into pockets for the front of these shirts. I am pleased that I have come this far- I am very nervous about using  her on the gals shirts because I don't have those simple designs for the gals - and I believe the machine will show its true colors and that will be colors that I hate!

But, I am going to think Positive and I am grateful for this much progress. After I finish these shirts I will just have to try and see how it goes.

But, at the moment I am pleased that I know have 3 pockets for 3 different shirts. I am curious to see about having a stabilizer on the top of these knit pieces. I used two different kinds to see what I think . Now I have to trim the stabilizer off  of the top and then turn them into a proper pocket. :) Right now I have to run outside and see that all the evening chores are done -but I am a happy camper . I wish when your luck was good that you could just keep on working.

I used to think that also when my kids were little. I had taught my daughter how to crochet and she was a Whiz! They say the sign of a good teacher is when your student is better than you- if that could be so -then I am a wonderful teacher Because she is the second best I have ever seen in my lifetime. She is fast light lightening and understands the layout like a genius . But when she would come home from school and do her homework -then she would pull out her crochet needles and as i was washing the dishes I would keep peeking to see how it was coming along - AND- wishing with all my heart that I could just sit with her and crochet until bed time or until we got our projects finished.  It's that Life thing that can become so challenging.

I had to laugh at my DH today when I told him that time just flew away with me and I wanted to slow it down - so maybe I should just plop myself down in a chair and sit and watch it tick by-maybe it would slow down then - and he said " You would just be bored to death watching the minutes tick by". HUMMMMMM?  :)

Looky Looky - My Baby is Home

I just cannot believe that my baby is home! After last years fiasco - which kept it away from me and my creative purpose . It was worse than a love affair gone wrong-matter of fact , it WAS a love affair gone bad and about broke my heart!

This shop was SO nice and they had more than one technician  and they all worked hard to get those certificates to keep up to date on all this new technology! Hummm? A week -compared to last years 4 months????  I am so excited - I just cannot stand myself!  Shoot -even If something should not work right - at least I would have more time to take it back.

I wish you could have seen this little shop. We got there before they even opened up for business-about ten minutes before. So DH wanted to run across the street and pick up some kind of a plug in for one of his boy-toys. Then we came back across the street about 20 minutes later - AND- the parking lot was already Filled up to capacity. Gals were going in and out like honey bees to a hive! I was amazed that there was so much "Sewing activities" going on!

I wish I could have had more money because they had a Hancock's Fabric's on the next block. We used to have a Hancock's Fabrics at home about 5 years ago and then they closed down. I was broken hearted because I loved the sales and I loved the ladies who worked there because they treated you just like family!  It got so nice because we would go in the door and as we browsed through -they would always greet me with a Hi Linda -or a Hi Doug - which was so wonderful because he would take off to talk to the gals which left me free to "spend the money" . LOL

So maybe next year I will return - hum???? That would make for a really nice birthday present ???? :)This place was in Winston Salem, NC and it is called Triad Sewing & Vacuum Center. I know I am counting my chickens before they hatch -but I have such high hopes that this is going to be a wonderful experience. If it works like it is suppose to I will only take my Brothers to this location from now on. He had made a note that he had fixed a tension spring and that really pleased me because I had forgotten to tell him that when I tackled any design that the threads would get caught in some kind of a spring and you could peek inside and see it hung on it! Of course if you tugged it would leave fragments of thread on the spring. So , if he picked up on that - I am really tickled and think he is a very good technician !

The weather was perfect for the 2 and a half hour drive and the flowers were all in full bloom, and we hit town in between the rush hour traffic -so that was a bonus too.

I still have to run down some designs because In my heart I did not believe that he would get it finished that fast - so I guess I was dragging my feet just so I would not be disappointed by keeping my mind busy. LOL My shirts I have cut out are over here in their plastic bags just shivering in their boots whispering to each other - -OOOOO- We are going to get it NOW! LOL Matter of fact - I think I am shivering in my chair too!  LOL - It's Christmas time for me! LOL

Jeepers - I sure hope each of you have had a wonderful day too! That makes it even better! We can all celebrate a Wonderful Day! My toys are home and my friends are happy - how much better could it get! :)
I better hop off of here before you all want to throttle me for taking up your valuable time - but thanks so much for sharing it with me! :)

Thursday therapy ???

Well, we lost our electricity last night . We sat up in the dark for a little while -I was enjoying the peace and quiet, but DH was bored out of his skull so he went to bed. I was tired also , so I thought a little sleep might help the old gal. Don't have any idea what happened to the power , but it might have something to do with all that rain and wind yesterday evening. ???? It did pop back on around 3AM this morning, but I slide back under the covers after I got up and checked everything and blowed out the candles. Then this morning it was amazing all the chores that I thought of to do, but I settled on giving some of the furbabies a bath. I have had such wonderful luck with no fleas this summer that I am attempting to keep right on top of that and hopefully not let any in the door! My door has a No Vacancy policy and I  hope to keep it that way -for me and my babies! :)

  Here is my first victim, all nice and wet and throughly insulted! They are learning to watch for when I pick up my pile of towels I use on them. LOL

This was her :"will some one please come rescue me " look at she scans the living room - hoping for help. :)

OK! Enough punishment for Dixie - I will move on to Honey-Bear! LOL She is really insulted too. But after I get her out of the bath and onto the floor -she will do the funniest little dance to express her joy that she made it through such a bad experience. :)

I know , you might think this is Dixie again, but it is not-this time it is Little Bear and she is a sweet heart - although not a happy sweet heart at the moment! :(

O Yea, this is my little bed bug -Mocha! She is so sweet to us and so mean to visitors -so I usually just lock her up in the bed while people are here.  I also did her brother Bandit , but forgot to take a picture of him.

You might think this is Honey-Bear again, but it is not . This is her sweetie , Snowball. He had those mean ole cuttle burs in his tail and belly so I had to do some trimming on him-instead of hurting him pulling those hateful things out! He and I , both - Hate those things.  It is amazing how they all have - the "drowned rat" style going on , but after while they will revert back to their furry little selves and get over being miffed at me. BUT - they will watch for those towels again! I forgot the chihuahuas Mama - Blondie and I also let Coco, their sister get by.. But she was giving me that "pitiful" look -all shivering in fear. So, since my back is killing me  - I decide to let her escape this time, at least. LOL

I did fix our lunch. About once a year when we have a handful of tomatoes I will make this dish where you chop the tomatoes and the onions , small. Put them in a bowel  and add 2 tablespoons of terragon vinegar and 1/4 cup of oil, and salt and pepper and let that sit while you take 2 cups of macaroni and let it cook. Drain the macaroni and put it in a skillet with a Tablespoon of butter and coat your macaroni with that . Then throw in scrambled eggs(suppose to be one for each person to get protein).

Put your macaroni mixture in a bowel and pour your tomatoes and onions mixture to cover . IF you like a tart flavor you go a little heavy on the vinegar . You can also play around with different types of vinegars. I love it, my DH hates it -LOL .But, since I only fix it once or twice a year -I slide by. LOL

So now I have also run the vacuum and put a rug down to catch water on our feet from a storm we just had. Next I have to get one laundry out and put one laundry in and take a shower because I smell terrible! Then I will hopefully hunt for some designs.

As I got up the phone ran and WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT - THEY HAVE MY MACHINE FIXED AND I CAN GO GET IT IN THE MORNING! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?????????????????????????????? I AM SO THRILLED THAT I CANNOT CONTAIN MYSELF. I'D SAY I NEED TO FIND THOSE DESIGNS! HOT DIG, HOT DIG , HOT DIG, HOT DIG . I AM HOLDING MY BREATH AND CROSSING MY FINGERS AND TOES -HOPING FOR BETTER LUCK THIS TIME. BUT , I REALLY DO HAVE A GREAT FEELING , THIS TIME!

Weds. ponderings

I was beginning to wonder IF I was ever  going to pop to the surface again? You know how it is when you think you just cannot handle ONE more piece of anything and then you turn around and it seems like a tractor trailer runs over you???????????????????????? Yep, I'm having one of those days -er- weeks~

It's almost getting to be funny the way things just keep falling on my head because after so long you become kind  of numb to it because it has to end SOMERTIME  - doesn't it??????????? I know that we all have our share to deal with and I am having trouble handling our money - It sounds simple I know -just not enough money to go around due to the economy and when the money shrank - I do believe my brain shrank with it too!That has to be the problem. :::Then after racking my brain and looking at the problem for every angle - I was just stuck-plain and simple! But I got lucky because today I got to see my counselor (the angel) and I cried on her shoulder for an hour and then came out -ready to battle on with the finance wizards of   our kingdom one more time.

When we arrived home and I pulled the mail out of the mailbox I saw a letter from our bank and I Knew it was not going to be good news. One of my worst fears - yep- a bounced check. My heart broke. More to befuddle my poor wee brain , as if it doesn't have too much to figure out now.So, I came in the house and had a little "pity me" party while I had some water . I knew I was going to fall into some kind of depression and I Hate those things so I walked outdoors to get some fresh air and I noticed the smell of rain? Yea, the clouds were getting black and ominous. There was a sprinkle of rain in the air so I headed up to the critter barn to give the guinea pigs the grass I had pulled them earlier in the evening and that was when it hit. Thunder like I had never heard and the rain started falling like buckets from heaven. Next you top that off with winds like I have not seen too often in my lifetime. The trees were bending from right to left like they were dancing and then this wall of rain came falling upon the disturbance as it was heading back to face this oncoming onslaught  and they seemed to clash together with such force that caused me to back further in the building, kinda in fear that the trees might come down on me and the building.

I wondered if this storm was like the mental storm that my brain has been dealing with.???It's not like this storm of  our finances is caused by something that we went out and added to our list of ways to spend money on-no, this is caused by the economy and the medical increase in DH 's disability check???

Well, I am sorry that I have  bawled on you guys shoulders-please forgive me. I thought maybe if I just shared that it would lighten the load and help light my way into this dark new territory that I have found myself thrust in.I think maybe I should have followed in my dear Uncle Larry's foot-steps.He was my Mom's brother and he was in one of the wars. But , when he returned home he retreated from life - much like the way I would like to. Of course he did not have any children and never married. At first he lived in the house that my grandparents had raised him in  until he accidentally burned it down .Next he built a little lean too cabin  -which did the same thing -so this third move he went deep into the forest and you had to walk a mile to go see him because he had no car and he walked the trip to the little country store for anything he needed  besides when he hunted for his food.So, now that I think of it -I believe that he was hunting for peace. I think he saw too many horrible things  in the war and he came home to get as far away from what  human beings do to other human beings as he could , and he did pretty good at it. He had no light bills because he had a kerosene lantern for light , he had a wood stove for heat in the winter and to cook food with, so he had no electricity bill .
I remember that I was little , but that I liked him very much. Not the part about killing animals to live -because I am a animal lover all the way down to my toes. But I liked his nice quiet way of being and the faint oder of him that smelled like the woods. I liked his soft eyes and he had a soft voice that I  paid attention to  while he and Mama talked and he smoked his pipe.

He sure accomplished his goal of isolating himself from most of the world out side . He did not have many visitors because he had to walk that mile in the woods to get to see him , so my Mom and the other brother were the only two that I ever saw visit him.

I still have his glass plaque that he had for being in the service with his name and a picture of him in his uniform. He was very handsome and very young at that time. By the time he was in his 40's he got sick and Uncle Harry took him to the V.A. hospital to see what was happening  to him and of course it was a cancer . It started eating his face and they told him all the things that they would try to do. When he got home he thanked Uncle Harry and told him that there would be no need of him coming to take him back -that he did not want to live that way. It slowly ate his lips and up the side of his nose until it got to his eyeball. But, he was so brave and determined to live life on his terms. He would take bleach and wash the places out to keep them clean and you know - I really think that he lived longer with his treatments than he would have with theirs.I loved him dearly , but I do not think that he knew that little girl felt that way about him.

Well, I hear the thunder coming back -maybe for round 2 - so I will let your go and thank you so much  ! 

Monday flew by again.

Look at that - I have already got another week older ! I just cannot keep up. They just simply just fly by-good thing that I take time to count them or they would turn into months and years before I knew what hit me?????

Our weather was really kinda chilly today - had me wondering where my Summer  had run off to ! I worked outdoors today and that kinda saps my energy by the end of the day. I guess there will always be more work than we can ever get around to .

I tried so hard to finish, but then I got side-lined looking for a bill . I knew it was somewhere  and after a two hour hunt I find it - In the sewing room in the filing cabinet . After all that looking -it did not have the date on it that I needed.:( Wasted effort!)

Then tomorrow will be "bill paying day"! That is my one big spending spree of the month!:)  O Shoot! I forgot to lock up the chickens and here it is 3AM in the morning!  Sorry -I better take off and run up and lock them up!

Love to one and all!

Working on a Plan

Even though my embroidery machine is in the machine hospital  I am steadily working on how to pull it all together and not waste time - SO- I got lucky and DH went over to help DS work on a vehicle. I looked around and saw a dozen things I would like to accomlish -BUT- this house empty sign doesn't come so often -SO- I boogie into the sewing room . It is kinda chilly outdoors and dark and cloudy where it has been drizzling ever since yesterday. But , in the sewing room -it beckons me ! :)

I start trying to get organized and while I was cleaning the cutting table cleaned up I happen to notice Miss Rosie asleep on one of the plastic bins in what has become her favorite place lately. I don't know why , but I do know that I LOVE to see a cat curled up. For some reason it just relaxes me and makes me feel like everything is right in my world at that moment..

My plan is to cut out all of the shirts from the one
bolt of grey that I had ordered from Fabric.com
I did not realize how much I liked grey until my oldest
Son kept telling me that he loved GREY shirts!.
I guess it took him a couple of years for me to take it
seriously!

So, when I got lucky and got this grey I started to remember that I had had One grey shirt and that I always loved it . I loved it so much that I wore it to pieces.

I found the pattern pieces that I need and turned on the computer. Not for work - but for play. I totally
Adore Celtic music and there is a radio station online that is called Pandora and you can find almost any type of music that you love to listen to.

I was so grateful to be introduced to this radio and have the option of listening to Celtic that way, because when it comes to buying cd's I either run out of money -Or- don't know enough of the artists to get to listen to other .This way I can put in a song of an artist and get to listen to others that  I would never know about. Thank you very much - Pandora!

I love Celtic so much that sometimes it feels like the way a nice warm fire feels when it kinda settles into your bones . Soooo soothing! No, I did not know this all my life. I listened to the country music most of my life and then one day at a flea market I heard some Celtic and my heart was captured. When I jumped ship - my family thought I had lost my mind - lol- little did they know I had Found it! :) It is so funny how sometimes the least little thing can change your life and you are off on a totally different path and you do not know where it is going to take you. :::::

Since I had that big empty hole where the embroider machine was sitting -I decided to temporarily fill it up. This is the shirts that I already have cut up and bagged.Let's see how much progress I can make ?

Utt - O! It is starting to look like a tee shirt factory over here! Boy, it is a good thing that I am labeling them or I would be So lost!

Ha ha ha! The shirts are over there and the scrapes are over here. I really hate to throw any fabric away -so the  larger squares on the right I will put in a tote and use them for things like -the pockets in pants and jackets and the other small scrapes I hope to take and cut them up in little pieces and use them as stuffing in pillows for  my fur babies.But that job is Really hard with my arthritis because all that whacking makes my hands hurt so much and get really stiff. So, I figure I will carry them into the living room and when we sit down to watch a program on tv I will cut while my mind is busy.  Hope, hope hope!

Miss Mocha is busy attempting to keep me straight! I know it is a dirty job, but it sure helps to have someone do it! LOL

I love my furbabies so much and they bring so much joy to my life. :) I don't think I would have made it through losing those 3 this year If a friend had not told me about the Rainbow Bridge where our pets go to wait for us.  I said when I cross over that the humans better watch out because there is going to be a stampede when my crew comes to meet me. LOL

Well , this is how I have covered up my empty spot .I have 12 shirts all cut out and ready to hit the embroidery machine. They are all different sizes from Small to 4X. Of course now I will have to hurt for designs and that is getting to be a challenge for me????

I have them all labeled so I won't get so confused this time. The ones that I have already wrapped are in a tote in a storage building and I have told my daughter-in-law that If I kick the bucket on them - that I still would want them to have their gifts and to go get them . They will have their names on so that aught to make it easy for them.

I still have more to do, but at least this helps so much -And- since I am doing the cutting that will really help me ! The cutting is just so hard for me. I had to laugh while I was cutting out these today because it is a little bit cool today and I broke out in a heavy Sweat -that shows how difficult it is for me. Now that I have finished that bolt of fabric and sat down to "blog" I am cooling off to where it feels good now. LOL

I guess I will have to pull out my Christmas list and see "who was naughty and who was nice"! That way I can brouse through my stash and see what I have to work with? I still am thinking about those lounge pants.???? And thinking so really hard for me.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and the start of a new week.
love to all ! And many Happy Stitches! :)