Not a very good blogger

I really wanted to start a blog, but I also really wanted to paint my bedroom, and sew, and sew some more and then work on my garden, etc., etc., etc. My daughter said to me, "Mom, maybe you should cut something out". Of course she is correct but I just don't know what because I love some of those things so much. Getting called back into work has really thrown me for a loop because that has cut into my time quite a bit! Hmmm. That's the other factor, my daughter and her beautiful baby girl Annabelle. Courtney, Annabelle and I have started taking a long walk together once a week, don't want to cut that out either, it is too special. Last week we were walking and it was junk up week around here, everyone cleans out their garages and basements and puts it all at the edge of the road and then the town comes by to pick it up. While we were walking a found a wonderful basket, it will be perfect to collect vegetables this summer.

I am also not a very good blogger because Valerie tagged me and I failed miserably, really don't know who else to tag because I am so new at this, don't know many bloggers, just read a lot of them.

Valerie my six word meme is "Love makes my world go round." So sorry it took me so long to post that. That should have been easy, the love of my Lord Jesus Christ and that of my husband and my family is what makes my world what it is, pretty terrific.

My son Jason and my daughter-in-law Holly took my grandson Jason to his first baseball game, looks like he enjoyed his nap on Daddy.

Last night I made a little shirt for him. I love the fabric with the little turtles or honu as they are called in Hawaii, so cute. I think the fabric is from Timeless Treasures.I am going to his house for a week to babysit starting on Sunday and then at the end of the week our family will gather to celebrate his first birthday. This will be special for me because I don't get to spend much time with him. Hope he gets to know me well and isn't shy of me. I plan to take lots of walks with him in the stroller, hope the weather is good. The other reason I am sewing like crazy is because my husband bought me a very special birthday gift. This will be the last sewing machine I ever get, I will never need another. The only thing this doesn't do is cook dinner for us. I think I am going to attempt some knits or terry cloths, some things that I have always avoided.

I have been sewing up a storm with it, mostly kids clothes, they are so fast it is instant gratification.

For Tessa, and for Joy, little dresses.

more sewing for kids

Spring means cute little outfits for babies. I find it hard to sew now because I want to be outside. With the windows open and the breeze blowing the curtains it was fine to be inside. This is a gift for a friend, my favorite part is the pockets, love the tie through them. Always love making the bloomers because they always look so cute on babies. This picture looks dark but if you click on it you can see it better.

I have more projects ahead, I decided to cut them out all at once over the weekend, which is my least favorite part, but the fun part, the sewing is ahead.

I have quilting class this morning, can't wait! I always feel a little dumb in class, seem to make mistakes, but I keep my seam ripper handy.

Life Can Be Sooo Busy

I am retired but was asked to substitute at work this week. It was funny being back after a year off. I was dreading it, sure that I would not be able to remember things and that they had changed procedures since I left. However, as soon as my fingers hit the keyboard the dust bunnies in my brain shook loose and I was okay. Sure I had to ask some questions, but not too many, what a relief.

Of course I had just started taking wallpaper down in my bedroom after it was up there for about 25 years so I was determined to finish that task. Scraping my way through it at 6:30 in the morning wasn't fun, but it is off! Now to choose a paint color.

It seems like most of the blogs I visit are showing spring flowers these days, even summer flowers, it is killing me because where I live we get a taste of Spring and then just like that I am back to sitting under the afghan on the couch trying to keep warm and it's April!!! Okay, I have lived here for 25 years so I should be used to this by now but oh well. So here is a picture of a poor little daffodil in my garden trying to grow but shivering in the cold rain. I'm still waiting for a dry day to start cleaning up the garden.

So with the chilly weather comes bootie crocheting, boy are these fun and fast and so cute on my granddaughter. My daughter put them on over those little stay on socks and the booties stay put that way. I know at least five young women who are pregnant right now so the booties make great gifts along with those wonderful burp cloths.

I have also been busy sewing, my favorite thing to do. I finally got around to making this dress, from the directions here. I picked up the shirt at the Salvation Army for $3 and I can't wait to see it on one of my granddaughters, hope it fits.

The back, made from the front of the men's shirt.

And the front, my husband said what kind a man would wear a shirt like that?? He, he, such a man comment!

I knew I'd find a use for all those yo yos that I made years ago, they look so sweet on kids clothes.

I'm a lucky girl

Recently my daughter-in-law Holly told me about Freecycle. If you are not familiar with it, it consists of a bulletin board where people offer things for free. If you sign up you can also have the daily postings sent to your e-mail. That's what I do, looking to see what people are giving away. Then I notice recently that it's okay to post Wanted requests. So I posted Wanted:Quilting Fabrics and I had two responses. One woman had a box of scraps for me and the other had a bag of fabric. Some of the fabric isn't usuable by me, but most of it is fun! I'll have to post a picture!

The other reason that I am lucky(blessed actually) is that I started a quilting class yesterday, my first one. It is a beginner class and I thought that was a good place to start. I am taking it at The Joyful Quilter in Glenville. The teacher is super, she is so laid back and patient. I have been sewing since I was a child so I thought it would be a snap, but I made two fixable mistakes yesterday, guess I am not such a smarty pants after all. Well now I need to finish my homework and I am looking forward to next week. That's my biggest problem, no patience, can't wait to get onto the next part. We are making a quilt sampler, a wall hanging, a great way to learn I think.

Last night I cleaned up my sewing room, wish I had taken a before picture so you can see just how bad it was!!! I told myself, no sewing til you clean up your room!! Now I will actually be able to find things. Still I am impatient to try everything, I think it may be reading all the wonderful blogs out there, there are so many wonderful tutorials. And now Sew Mama Sew is going to have a contest and there will be more, can't wait.

My friend is retiring from her job so I had to sew her something, well not really but any excuse to sew is a good one. So I made her this bag and an eyeglass case and well why not add a change purse. This was really fun, I hope to make more of these bags, they are just so perky. The directions are from the Happy Hour Quilt booklet. It took such a small amount of fabric to produce all three.

Phew, back to sewing this morning. Doctor's appointments and other things I had to do last week kind of filled up the week. I always feel like something is missing when I don't get to sew. Today I have been sewing some burp cloths thanks to Barbara and her great idea to use pre-fold diapers. I have left the trim off and just used some decorative stitching along the edge. They are fun to make because you have a pile befor you know it. My daughter's friends are all having boys thus my choices of fabric but I have made them before in pinks and added the trim. I think next I will make some of those for my daughter who will be having a baby girl in June.

Here is Annabelle modeling her bonnet, isn't she beautiful? We think so!

I was away on a trip to Florida but now I am home and back to sewing. Just finished this bonnet for my granddaughter Annabelle, maybe for Easter if I can get it to her in time. I'm an old fashioned girl, just love the pleats and ruffles.

Yikes, that's a lotta stuff

Lately I have been trying to get rid of so much that has accumulated around our house, unless it is fabric of course. Anyway, I found this on the NY Times Site, yikes! Now these kids do have too much stuff! Of course if you read the article it is about color not things, but I am still amazed.

Dish Towel Totes

Been having fun playing around with dish towels, kitchen towels, tea towels, whatever they are called. I bought them at Target, and added some fun lining fabrics, some interfacing. They are very easy to sew but I feel good when I have something finished in one day.

Here is a quilt I made for my son for his birthday. It is made from old jeans and flannel, it is really soft and will be warm I think.

Great Music

For some amazing music, This young man makes my day. He is an adopted nephew to our family, and we are lucky to have him that's for sure.

Pretty in Pink

Was sewing last week for my two grand daughters. Went to visit them and of course I dressed them in their new outfits. Aren't the pants adorable, it is a pattern from Jackie Clark, sews up in a jiffy. They were too busy to really pose but I think they liked them.

Yesterday I decided to take out my Last Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts book that I got for Christmas and I made this bag. The top is khaki fabric from a pair of pants my husband was throwing out and the bottom was a remnant at Walmart, not my favorite store but it was only $2. Then I sewed on some vintage buttons, it was fun. It looks crooked in the picture, but it's not. Isn't that a cool thread rack, my daughter bought it for me last year at an antique store, I love it!

My first post

I retired last April from my job at a college. While working there I typed all day on the computer and helped students, enjoyed my co-workers and was very busy. So of course I thought when I retired there would so much free time. Well lots of things happened after April and I am still looking for that free time but I am enjoying the time I have to sew, garden and be with my grandchildren. Before this I had never taken part in blogs, but now I do and I guess for quite awhile I was a lurker, reading and not commenting. That too has changed. I have commented on many things on the blogs that I read daily and in response I sometimes receive the most beautiful e-mails in return. My world is growing, I am meeting so many special people and enjoying their ideas and the beautiful things they sew, crochet, knit, cook and their love for their families. So I begin my blog . . . .