Hailey Turns TWO!

Sunday we celebrated Hailey's 2nd birthday at Pete and Shauna's in the evening with the relatives.

Sweet!

The Lovely Mother

Take a BIG breath!

Yum Yum!

The Runaway Dinner book with fabric plate, fork, spoon and knife that I made

Hailey knew just what to do with the quilt and pilowcase I made for her!

I knit her this sweater with a fuzzy white neck area and it fit!

Grandma Cyndi

Grandpa Don and Grandma "Lita" gave Hailey this neat riding trike or is is a quad? Cousin Ella is giving Hailey a hand.

Grandpa Don holding Charlotte - 5 months

These are Salsa Skirts that I made for both girls. Good for twirling!

Dave and Dave talking about......Dave??

Auntie Roxanne showing Hailey the book she gave her

These kids make me happy, but no smile from Charlotte!

Finished.....Embroidered Box

Here it is! I'm still working on some other projects. I think I'm happiest when I have several things going on at once. I've never been one to buy just what I need for one project, finish it and plan my next sewing task. Nope, I see things I like and whether it is fabric, a pattern, book or thread, I'm always ahead of myself. I guess it just keeps me interested!! If I get bored with one thing, I can set it aside and work on something else.

Gadget Girl in the Sewing Room

Yup. You could call me gadget girl because I love tools and gizmos and handy-dandy aids in my sewing room and my kitchen. I am so very happy to have my rubber stamps moved out of my craft/sewing room and SOLD to others who will enjoy them, which gave me more room to spread out my sewing machines and supplies. I still have to put up a quilt design wall, which is simply an area of the wall which has quilt batting or some other felt-like fabric that quilt pieces can stick to so I can hang up the quilt pieces in process to see how I want the finished project to look. First I need to fill the holes from all the shelves I had up there holding some of my stamps.

Every sewing room must have a sturdy cutting surface, so years ago Dave helped me get a large cutting area made out of a large slab of MDF (medium density fiberboard for all you non-construction types) set on top of two inexpensive ready-made lower cabinet modules, complete with drawers. I have a large cutting mat on top and it works perfectly.

But where are the gadgets? All over the place! In drawers, hanging up, on shelves. Here are my latest finds.

I really didn't NEED a new rotary cutter, but this one is sweet! New and improved.

Now I didn't need any more tiny scissors, but these were on sale and I couldn't resist.

  

If you are really into the creative sewing process, you know how many threads and bits of fabric fall on the floor. Especially if you are serging. And I have my old serger set up (finally) as well as my WONDERFUL newer BabyLock air threading serger. Gotta contain those threads, so we must have places to conveniently put them. Viola!

I have used a ziplock bag for years attached with duct tape to contain serger fabric and threads.

I have this right behind my serger to hold the garbage from my big sewing machine. Still, do you see the threads on the carpet?

Here is my main garbage container. It fills up quickly with card making stuff as well. I did sell my rubber stamps but I still make cards and have to cut them down to size. Hence, a full garbage container.

Here is yet another spot to stuff the junk. I have no excuse for making a mess in here!

Right now I have 4 project that I am working on at the same time. And I'm not even counting the 2 large quilt tops that need to be layered and quilted, or the 2 wallhangings that are half finished. I'm pathetic! But I will get them done. Here is one of tonight's projects.

 These are about 2 1/2" x 2" mini Asian kimonos (3 of them) on a piece of white satin that will be the topper for a brown hinged box that has a place to insert these under glass. Love machine embroidery!!

The following photos aren't totally gadget oriented, but I have all my findings organized in plastic boxes in a rather large built in shelf area. From accessories for my machines to zippers. It's all in there somewhere!

Here is a sample. Sometimes I can't remember where I put things. Like just tonight I was looking for my horizontal spool holder. I searched high and low (I have 3 of these suckers!) and I FINALLY found them right where the container was even labeled "horizontal spool holders" among other machine related supplies.

You can't even see all the buttons I have. I won't get rid of any of them! I have 4 containers behind these, including a huge glass jar full to the brim. I have my grandmothers old buttons and some from Shareen's mom after she passed away. You never know when I might get an urge to go retro!

This is just some of my super specialty thread. I have thread coming out of my ears practically. And it tickles! If you desire to be creative, you need thread. Rayon, cotton, silk, polyester, variegated, mono-filament, bobbin thread, 30 weight, 40 weight, 60 weight. I still have thread from 40 years ago, but I don't use that very often since it degrades and doesn't seem to want to get along with the newer computerized sewing machines.

I try to shield Dave from my heavy duty addictions. But he found out just how bad I was with my rubber stamping hobby. I had paper making supplies, pergamano supplies, ink pads and punches galore. He had NO idea! But still, he loves me and doesn't hassle me over my weaknesses. After all, he has put up with my horse adventures and that is a REAL money pit!! For years I have said this about my hobbies....."It's cheaper than paying a therapist!" Uh oh. I do think that therapy would have been cheaper, but I guarantee I would still be who I am and couldn't be happy without all my "stuff." Well, I could be happy. After all I didn't always have "stuff" when we couldn't afford it! I can be content with less, but PLEASE don't touch my sewing stuff!

I guess I should get back to my sewing room. I still have one thing that I know I will finish tonight!

A little wine lasts me all night and I have even been known to forget to finish it. But only a little wine. I wouldn't want to stitch through my finger!!

I will post some of my latest creations so come on back!

Remember when cooking was fun?

Or maybe just a creative expression? When I was looking at some new blog posts today, I found this:

http://dineanddish.net/2011/02/making-homemade-fresh-pasta-noodles/   (check the links to the right)

That was all the inspiration I needed to get my Pasta Maker out of the pantry and prove to myself that I still remember how this contraption all fits together! I know many of you young moms struggle with your schedule and feel too overwhelmed to spend much extra time cooking, and I did, too, with little kids under foot. But I do remember that I used to delight in putting a nice meal on the table for the family every night when the kids were still at home. Not gourmet, but just all around good everyday food! Things change when it is just two old fogies at home! I find that I would rather play on my computer or spend time in my craft/sewing room, or that I'm too tired after golf....oh dear! Costco has made me lazy. Trader Joe has lots of heat and serve type meals. And yet, there is nothing wrong with quick and easy. Actually tonight's meal was a combination of quick and easy and special. Chicken breasts from Costco thawed and in the pan with mango/lime salsa from a jar, frozen peas and homemade rigatoni pasta. And oooohhh, that salsa was tangy hot. I wished it had a little less bite. Next time I will opt for Costco mango salsa. YUM!!

This is easy and fun!

Yup, there really is a chicken breast under there.

Homemade pasta cooks in only a fraction of the time that dried pasta takes, and I always use Semolina flour instead of regular flour. My favorite is still angel hair pasta! But then again, homemade gnocchi is really good too!

Happy cooking!

Grandparenting....it's the BEST!!

Nativity Wallhanging - FINISHED!

Better late than never! Now to get to some of my other UFO's. (UnFinishedObjects)

From this....

To this!

Ten on Ten for February

Lunch for Lynda's birthday (far right) with Dorene & Sharron

My new purple purse.....LOVE IT!

Walked through the yard looking at new growth on Hellebores

Pesky Moles!! Dave caught one yesterday. A BIG one!

The deer love to eat the red twig dogwood. Would love to alternate the red twig with some yellow twig dogwood (Cornus sericea 'Flaviramea.) It would be gorgemundous, but the deer would just have more to eat!

Holly trees are a noxious weed! The seeds are carried and 'dropped' by the birds and we have loads of these that we have to pull out every spring/summer. English holly is OK, but there is an ongoing controversy with holly growers over whether holly trees should be considered invasive and if commercial growers can get an exemption from laws prohibiting this species. Glad I don't have that to deal with!

Beautiful sunny day yesterday and today and no golf. Looks like it is a go for tomorrow at Foster. Yahoo! Oh, IF my knee will cooperate with all the walking. I will be taking my Ibuprofen!

I only have ONE MORE square to embroider for my Christmas wall hanging. I thought I would get it done by Christmas, but here it is February and I am still fiddling with it!

See. I have to cut a few of the embroidered designs, embroider that one last piece, stitch them all together with the borders, and then sew the binding and backing on and quilt. My stack of projects is piled high.

My latest business endeavor. Love, love, love this stuff!

A. Lincoln

Kyle and Kari gave Dave & me this thick autobiography of Abraham Lincoln for our birthdays (one week apart) and I brought it with us to Acapulco to read. I really had hoped to finish the book...all 796 pages of this extra large paperback....before we returned home. WRONG! I got about half way into it and I have to say it requires more 'thoughtful' reading than a novel so I overestimated how quickly I could read it! I have really enjoyed this book and found myself many times stopping to tell Dave or Chip something new that I learned. I feel like I now know A. Lincoln. Oh, and the reason the book is named A. Lincoln is that it is how Mr. Lincoln referred to himself.

So, I highly recommend this book! And in reality the last 120 pages or so are notes and the index so don't be intimidated by the size. Besides for those of you who shudder at so many words....there are photos sprinkled throughout for your entertainment.

Thanks Kyle & Kari!