Christmas Is Coming.. Garys children- 2011



Kenny- Amy- Ahslee



Amy and Ashlee



Amy Grace




Ashlee Gail





Kenny getting a a kiss from the girls!!


Our son , Gary's  children. Christmas pictures for Christmas cards, 2011.  The girls are wearing strip Christmas dresses made by their mama,Gina.



Christmas is on its Way- Cindys children- 2011

Callie Noelle-- Christmas 2011



Emily, Callie and Chandler



Callie Noelle..



 Emily Morgan

My daughter, Cindy's  children. Christmas 2011. I made these outfits for the girls to wear for Christmas card pictures.Callie is wearing a green and red polka dot Micheal Miller print jumper. I appliqued a Christmas present and oranment on the skirt.  And embroidered her name on the bodice.  Emily is wearing a 2 tier skirt with the same Micheal mIller print. And the bottom tier is a red stripe . I made the red corduroy jacket and added a shiny red trim.
Chandler is cute as can be with his red polo.



Orange Challenge at Sew Weekly

Orange Challenge;
 New Look Pattern: # 6104 [ebay find]
 Fabric- tiny  orange and white plka dot
 Notions:  Green buttons  on sleeve cuff and dress [decision to use green buttons.. was to blend with embroidered  flower on front of dress]
Belt-  orange belting and buckle from Hancocks

  I love this pattern..It is really comfortable and easy to wear.  The sleeves are so cute..  The  cuffs have a little v on them.I took 2 small green buttons , not only does it hold the cuffs in place,  but added  a cuteness to the sleeves.

Last Rose of the Summer

I sure hate to see summer end.. I really love fall, but it seems to go by so quickly.   We have been having lots of frost,  and all the flowers are gone..  Kenny came in  and brought me this pink rose ,  off of our rose bush.. [how sweet!].  I stuck in  a vase with some  holly greenery.. for a wonderful bouquet .  The last of  our summer flowers..   I will just look forward to   spring returning.

The Dreaded Chore of Ironing!!!

                                        My Most Dreaded Household Chore
 I spent   a couple days last week,   pulling out fall/ winter clothes. And putting away  light breezy summer clothes..  And with that job,   came lots of washing and  ironing...  As I  stood at the ironing board,  really  dreading the  big basket of  over flowing clothes,  I thought about  the ladies of old.  Many of them,  had to go haul in water to wash,   and heat a  "heavy iron" from the cooking stove ,  to iron the families clothes.  It would be  a  definite all  day job.  
  Wow.... Now why  should I be complaining about my  basket of ironing... Not only did I throw them in the washing  machine , turn on the button and let them wash  "by themselves"... But ,  I  turned on an electric iron,   that  got hot all by itself..   It is very light weight.  So .. I must remind myself..   My overflowing basket,  is   not so  bad after all..
   As I  thought of my grandparents and their ways... I ironed away,  and in no time,  my much dreaded ironing basket was EMPTY!!!

Sewing Pattern Swap Package

Kat from the Sew weekly,  started a pattern swap with some of the girls..  My package arrived  all the way from  the UK..   I was so excited to see  the name Rachel Pinheiro,  on the label..  As she is one of my sweet sewing buddy friends..   I excitedly tore open the package to find the MOST wonderful contents..  [I think she went over board, and spoilt me].   It was the cutest  pattern, some really cute pink floral fabric,  buttons,
  trims.   And then..   to add to all this , was a  yummy chocolate flower  and all kinds of flavors of tea.   And then,   she sent the most treasured gift....  She made me a  tissue holder,   I will treasure it forever.   Now how sweet is that?
  Thankyou  Rachel.. Your pattern swap package is  fantastic and I love, love everything!!!

The pattern is so cute..   I am already planning on using it.. I  am hoping it will fit into  one of the SW challenges within the next couple weeks.

Holly Berries are Turning Red

 I love holly bushes.  The beautiful green waxy leaves  with the vibrant red berries. Oh how pretty!!
 When we built our house  , I planted this holly bush.  I wanted   to have one,  so that when Christmas came,   I would have the beautiful greenery & berries  to decorate  with.  When I see the berries starting to turn red, I know that winter & Christmas  are not far away..

Fresh Vegtables & Fresh Eggs

 Yummy, yummy .. Look what Farmer Kenny  raised for us!!!
Fresh turnip and mustard greens... Second crop of yellow squash  [and yes...his wife told him, "it is too
late in the year,  you can't raise another crop of squash".. eeeh..  I was wrong!!   But he will never know that, I remember saying such a thing, haha.
  And he bought some baby chickens in the spring , and they  are now laying..   We get 7 eggs a day..

Plain Pattern Challenge/ FESA Challenge-- Fall Wrap dress

FESA /Plain Pattern Challenge--Fall Dress
Butterick pattern # 5030

 I finshed my first dress for the challenges.It is a fall  dress with 3/4 length sleeves.  My inspiration for this  wrap dress  is Olivia Walton on the Walton shows.  She wears alot of wrap dresses.  And I love her style.
This dress is so comfortable and easy to wear.
   Mary Christmas [my dress form] was eager to model it for me.. Soon, I will share a picture of me wearing it.

The bird that came from Mn

What a beautiful bird that  came all the way from Mn.. to  live with me.. I feel so
honored to have this beautiful hand made  item.  A wonderful crafter made this,
with her own two hands and gave it  to me.. It is beautiful  and so well done.
Thankyou my friend Cathe.

Sweaters/Cardigans - Great Thrift Store Finds

I went by our local thrift store .. I normally don't ever find any thing ..But ..Wednesday , my luck,
was to change.  I have been watching catalogues for sweaters/cardigans to wear with my dresses.
The lady working in the store  ,told me to come and look at this rack,  her friend had just brought
this stuff in to sale  And there was 4 sweaters/cardigans.   I was thrilled.
  If you remember , on my mood board,  was the prettiest cream sweater with red flowers monogrammed
on it.  One of the sweaters,  I bought,  looks alot like that one..  It has blue and pink flowers instead of red.
The bronze color sweater matches my fall dress that I am doing for the plain pattern challenge / fall challenge on Sew weekly..
  I left the thrift store , with 4 beautiful sweaters for only $6.00.   Happy ,Happy, Happy!!!

Birthdays & Friends--What could be better?

I recently had a birthday..   It was a very good one.   My day was full with  family and the wonderful gifts , they gave me..  And late that afternoon,  the UPS truck came.. I wasn't expecting packages, so was shocked,  when he pulled in..  To my surprise,  there was this wonderful birthday present from my friend Cathe.   She is the most thoughtful and fun person .  She sent me all these wonderful things..  Polka dot fabric..[hint. you will be seeing this one show up on SW challenge]  a vintage red fabric [ because she knows  how much I love red and vintage],  a wonderful sewing tote bag.. I have already got to enjoy the  use of it.. [A recent trip to the doctors office,  it held my sewing books ,that I enjoyed ,while waiting .]   and  the most cherished item--- this tiny sewing machine. I wish you could all see it  in person..  It is adorable. The little drawer really opens and the foot petal really works.. So cute..
  Thankyou Cathe,  for a very special birthday..

Amy /Ashlee Halloween Outfits

My twin grandaughters will be 7 yrs old on November 10th.  They are really growing up.  I made them these twirl dresses to wear to halloween parties at school.  And also to the pumpkin patch.  Amy's dress is appliqued with a  friendly ghost on the bodice and has friendly ghost halloween  fabric on the skirt.  Ashlee's bodice has a  pumpkin appliqued on the bodice with  pumpkin fabric for the skirt.
 The girls enjoyed a weekend visit with us .