Finally, I sewed something!

I finally sewed something! I made matching outfits for a friend's daughter and her My Twinn Doll.
My friend picked out the patterns and the fabric. The top was made from Butterick 4970 in a soft
and cuddley pink rayon lycra jersey. The capris were made from McCall's 5312, in a cotton khaki twill.

President Obama

Initially, I was all for Hillary. But, then, as I listened and watched, I knew I was watching and listening to the next President of the United States of America.
There was never a doubt in my mind on whether or not Barack Obama would win. I had faith in my fellow Americans that they would make the right choice.
They did.
What an exciting time. Watching history in the making.
President Obama
Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?
I went to my voting place at ten after seven. After I turned the first corner and could get a better view, I was able to count 150 people in front of me. I wasn't able to count some people that were standing in groups or the voters that had already entered the building. It took me one and a half hours to cast my vote.
I just could not keep my eyes open Tuesday night and fell asleep about 10:30ish. At 11:51, I heard the words, "Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America."
I knew at that second that everything was going to be okay.

It's been a while

since I've last posted. I'll be making up for lost time over the next couple of weeks. LOL

While I was away I went from this


to this












I had a hard time deciding on the style and where I would get it cut, but I finally decided on Janet Mittendorf's. Walt also decided to get his hair cut while we were there, but I don't have pics of him. He only had two or three inches cut, while I had about twelve inches. And, I like the fact that the red color shows up even more now that it's shorter!

I'll be blogging about the projects I've completed and the ones I'm working on over the next week or so.

101 Things to Do in 1001 Days

I'm still slowly working on my 101 things. I've decided that there will be no traveling until all the dogs have gone to the Rainbow Bridge. The last time they had to be kenneled it was very traumatic for them. Pongo had chewed on his legs and Buddy and Bear didn't tolerate it very well either. Bear is 13-ish. She is having a difficult time getting up and walking. Sometimes she just stands facing a corner and can't figure out how to get out of it.

As far as the 101 Things...The nightwear sew-a-long will take care of item number 101...Make 4 pairs of pj's.

Number 64... Make a cigar box purse....I know what I want to decorate it with. A picture of the notorious Bettie Page or Frank Sinatra.

A lot of things are still in progress, although progress is really slow! LOL

The weekend

I spent some time today sewing. Well, not really sewing. I spent some time today cutting out the Amy Butler Kimberly bag pattern. I'm using the lime fabric shown. I'm not happy with the fusible woven interfacing I have. It's off to Joann's Fabrics tomorrow to see if they have something I like better. If I can't find anything there, I'll go to Jay's Fabric Center next week.

I was going to cut out the Emmeline apron pattern (by Montessori by Hand)but my back started hurting. I'll try to get it cut out tomorrow. I stole was inspired by the colors on this site. I'm using red, chocolate brown, and turquoise. My red fabric has tiny white dots though. I would have liked them bigger. I would also like to make an apron using chocolate brown and pink. Not sure I will use the Emmeline pattern though.

I'm wondering if this is a faux pas. It it OK to blatently copy someone else's color scheme? It's not likely that we would run into each other on the streets of St. Pete. And this person wouldn't know, except for me blogging about it and eventually posting a picture . It was because of this person, that I was drawn to and chose to make the apron. I keep "saying this person" because I haven't seen her name anywhere. However, I have seen at least 2 aprons with this color scheme. So, whoever you are, whatever your name is.....I think you have great taste and thanks for the inspiration!

There is a night wear sew-a-long happening over at Stitcher's Guild. I need a few new sleep pants and tops so I'm thinking I will unofficially participate in the sew-a-long.

I'm off to listen to some TV and knit. I'm working through the list of stitch finders, which I refer to as swatches, on Lion Brand website. I'm going to sew them together and make an afghan.

July 4, 2008

Happy Fourth!!

More Challenges

I have been participating off and on in a number of challenges. My goal for July is to get everything caught up and add a couple more to the list.

The first challenge is the 1% Well Read Challenge. The goal of this challenge is to read 10 books in 10 months from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list. For you non-math people, 10 out of 1001 is approximately 1%, hence the title. The challenge will run from May 1, 2008 through February 28, 2009.Here is my list of books:
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster (I’ve already started reading)
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Cocaine Nights by JG Ballard
I know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham
Orlando by Virginia Woolf
Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence

The next challenge is the Self Portrait Challenge. Each month a theme is introduced and you take a self portrait using the current month's theme. This month the theme is skill. I just found out they blogged about this over on whip up.

Before I blog any further I must show a pic of my new "baby".
Yup. I did it. I switched to an Apple. Family and friends are amazed. They all know me as a Window's nerd girl. Bill Gates is my hero. I thought getting an iMac would be a pleasant change. I have mixed feelings about it. Some aspects are nice. I love the monitor and the sleekness of having everything compacted. On the other hand, it's hard getting use to the "windows" I have open deciding to switch places again, again, and again until they give me motion sickness! LOL I'm still getting used to the keyboard shortcuts.

Another Meme

I found this on The Fiberfairy's Haven.






1. austin Cemetery Angel, 2. french fries, 3. Mirror, 4. Purple Euphoria, 5. The Man, 6. Pepsi One, 7. Last day in Paris, 8. coffee and chocolate mousse cake, 9. US Supreme Court, 10. The Old Library, 11. UP, 12. my bohemian gala




a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name? not really my first name, but the one I go by
2. What is your favorite food? potatoes!!
3. What high school did you go to? Valley Point High School
4. What is your favorite color? purple
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Dennis Haysbert
6. Favorite drink? Pepsi One
7. Dream vacation? Paris, France
8. Favorite dessert? coffee and chocolat mousse cake
9. What you want to be when you grow up? legal nurse consultant.
10. What do you love most in life? reading/books are among the top ten
11. One word to describe you. UP!
12. Your flickr name. gypsie121- I found nothing using gypsie-so I used gypsy.


I got my notary public certificate in the mail today. One more thing I can cross off my to do list! LOL

May passed by so quickly

It seems like just yesterday it was January first. These past couple of weeks were difficult. We had state surveyors in the nursing home doing our annual survey. This survey was the best one the facility has had in eight years. There was a new supervisor running every department and of course a new administrator. We only had nine minor deficiencies. That is extremely good for a facility of this size.

I didn't even post on May's Take It Forward for last month. I haven't had a chance to even read about the challenge or see the color scheme for June yet. I hope I can get to that this weekend.

I've posted my new Summer Reading List here. I've already finished two of the books. I start my classes to get my RN degee next week, so I wanted to get started. I still need to finish the old list too.

It seems as though I can never get anything accomplished, no matter how much I try. At least I'm not working 11-12 hours a day now.

My New Toy

Last Friday I got off work at 4pm and went to A & A Crossroads Sewing Center. I was reading the sign that said the store was open from 9am until 4pm, when Walt pointed toward the neon "open" sign. It was still on. I tried the door and, sure enough, it was open! The lady said a customer had called earlier and asked if she could stay open later this afternoon, so she could bring her machine in for repairs. I ordered my machine and Walt picked it up today, so it was waiting for me when I got home this afternoon. I played with it for a few minutes. Threading it and testing it on a small piece of knit fabric that was tucked under the presser foot. I can hardly wait for the weekend so I can really play!!

Another weekend

has come and almost gone. I didn't get much accomplished.

I finally got an IV pole to hang the water bottle on for my new iron. I used it to iron the strips for the quilt block for the Take it Forward Challenge for March. I still have to do the memorial heart for April, and the colors and concept have been given for May. I'm so far behind!

I just can't seem to get focused and get anything done. After work and on the weekends I just hang out and do a little reading and checking email and check a few of my favorite blogs. There is quite a bit of stress from work lately. I believe that has a lot to do with getting focused.

As per my usual, I have some things planned. My problem is, I just can't seem to get past the planning stage. On the ever growing, never ending list.....

I got the Emmeline apron, by Meg McElwee at Montessori By Hand. Fabric for an Amy Butler Kimberly bag. I'm going to make it in the same lime green fabric as shown on her website. Not very creative of me, I know. But....the lovely colors were what drew me to the bag! I'm just waiting for the pattern.

I've checked out the new patterns. meh....nothing calls out to me. I'll wait and see what the fashionistas make and see if I change my mind.

Dancing With the stars

Who is the Perfect Professional Partner for You?

More on Dancing with the Stars. Created by BuddyTV

What's Been Happening?

I finally finished reading The DiVinci Code by Dan Brown. It was an interesting book, and I enjoyed it very much. I still have five books from my summer of '06 reading list to read. It became my '07 reading list and will become my '08 reading list if I don't get them read in time. I've read numerous books, just not the ones on this particular list. Most of them have been legal studies books, and soon will be nursing books.

I still need to become a notary public and now I want to get MDS (Minimum Data Set--a form reguired by the government on every nursing home resident.) certified. Neither of these will take very long. I just need to have time to take care of it.


Here are the colors for April from the Take It Forward Challenge, and the challenge topic this month is how do you see change? Even though they are pretty, they aren't "my" colors,. They are my Mom's colors. She loved greens, oranges, browns, yellows, the warmer colors. I'm going to use these colors and use silk ribbon embroidery and make a crazy quilt stitched heart as a tiny memorial to her.

Last month I got the fat quarters to make a quilt block (which will be part of a wall hanging). Got the pattern, called Celtic Sunrise. It even has some of March's colors in it! I traced the pattern, cut the strips and went to press the strips....my iron died. It was just a cheapie from Wal-Mart, but I expected it to last for more than a couple of months.

I was going to get a nice new iron last year, but due to not working, and budgeting, it wasn't a high priority. Hence....the cheapie from Wal-Mart. Last week I ordered this baby and this ironing "board".
The iron came on Wednesday and the "board" on Friday, except my ex was sleeping and didn't hear the UPS guy, so I have to wait until tomorrow to get it, and next weekend to set it up, due to working long hours this week. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

I also ordered, and received (yesterday) Collage Unleashed by Traci Bautista. I haven't had a chance to look through it yet. Maybe I will find time this afternoon. I still have a lot to do this weekend.

Weekends

Today is the seven year anniversary of my son's death. I miss him terribly. Not a day goes by that I do not think of him, wish I could hear his voice, hold him and tell him I love him and how proud I am of him. He was only 28. I watched a Dr. Phil episode I had recorded last week. It reminded me of something I always try to do. That is, honor his life, and not dwell on the day of his death. He didn't want people crying that he was gone, but smiling and laughing that he had shared time with us, short as it was. He was truly a remarkable young man.






Currently, I'm working in a position I used to work at over a year ago. My, my, my, have things changed at this nursing home, even in the past month. I had worked there for 3 weeks (in a different position), left, and now I'm back. Anyway....I have every weekend off! woohoo!!!!

Per my usual Saturday morning schedule, I went to my Weight Watchers meeting at 10:00. Then I proceeded to Joann’s to use my coupon and get patterns (if they are on sale). I did a few errands, I took my ipod to Best Buy for repair. I went to Wally World and then Sweet Bay. Last stop was Panchero’s for lunch. I ALWAYS have the burrito bowl with a tortilla on the side. I usually blow my weekly points there, but it’s worth it! mmmmm mmmmm! LOL

The Take it Further challenge for March color scheme is:

and the challenge concept is “to pay attention to the tiny details. Sometimes the small things become emblematic for something larger.” We don’t have to match the colors exactly, but as close as we can. So, I got these fat quarters at Joann’s.

I’m planning to make a quilt block if I can find one that I really like enough to do it in a much smaller size.





Friday’s picture is one of my favorite things: Pepsi One. I never liked diet sodas. But. a few years ago, I needed to cut back on calories and didn’t want to give up soda. I tried Pepsi One and liked it immediately. It doesn’t leave a nasty aftertaste like some of the other diet sodas do. When I went off the diet, I continued to drink Pepsi One.




Saturday’s picture is Bear, my ex’s black lab. She is about 13 years old. We got her from the SPCA in 2000, I think. She was to be a companion dog to Pongo our Dalmatian. Here’s a question for ya. We all know that the male dog’s name in 101 Dalmatians was Pongo. What was the female dog’s name? I dunno. I had to go look it up! Her name is Perdita or Perdy for short… Back to Bear. I swear sometimes that this dog tried to kill me. She had a habit of sneaking up behind me, lying on the floor, and when I turned around I usually tripped over her. More often than not it happened late at night when there were no lights on. When we first got her Walt took a week off from work to help her get accustomed to Pongo and our house. She's a sweet dog now but old and decrepit, all white faced and pawed. She won't be with us much longer. She has cataracts and arthritis, but doesn't seem to be in pain.


Today’s picture is of a new (to me) product I found a couple of weeks ago. It’s a body wash made by Olay. It leaves my skin soft and silky. I sound like a commercial! LOL. But seriously, it’s fa-bu-lous stuff. and it’s pretty too!






We should have no regrets. The past is finished. There is nothing to be gained by going over it. Whatever it gave us in the experiences it brought us was something we had to know. Rebecca Beard

This week so far

In a challenge I'm participating in I'm supposed to take a picture a day. I thought I would post the pics here two or three times a week and tell something about them.



This is a statue of elephants that my ex gave me for Christmas 2006. They are hand carved. I can't remember what type of stone this is. I also can't remember where I put the info card that came with it. Obviously some place where it would be safe. LOL I used to collect elephants. I have quite a few, but after a while no longer wanted to increase my collection. I only collected ones that really called to me.





These are a few of my Threads magazines. I have every issue that has been published. I LOVE going back to the older magazines and re-reading the articles.





I really like to exercise ie...lifting weights. I like my muscles getting hard and tight. And oddly enough I like the delayed soreness after I work out. This is a pic of my favorite style and brand of workout gloves. This particular brand is Bollinger. I've had other brands, but this is, in my opinion the best.




I enjoy having sushi two or three times a week. My favorite is California rolls with brown rice. I always have it with a little soy sauce and ginger. I think I like the ginger as much as the sushi.







This is Hannah Jane, my sewing goose. She was supposed to be my lawn goose, but I decided to not put her outside. She is so cute! She sits on my sewing table and advises me on my sewing. LOL On my list is to make her clothes as cute as she is. She is named after Laura Prepon's character in October Road. I enjoyed watching Laura in That 70's Show. I didn't think I would ever be able to see her as any other character but Donna. She is a really talented actress and I'm glad she got another series so quickly.




Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up.
Jesse Jackson (1941-, American Clergyman, Civil Rights Leader)

Last Saturday night

They call me “Tater Salad.” Last Saturday night I went to see Ron White. I love me some Ron White. He’s cute, smart and has the sarcastic type of humor I love. AND, he has that cute, smurky grin I find extremely sexy. ok....TMI...LOL But he is funny!






One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love.
Sophocles (BC 495-406, Greek Tragic Poet)

2-14-2008

I spent last evening making copies of the line drawings in my Burda magazines. I then pulled the patterns from each magazine and put them into manilla envelopes. My Burdas now take up much less space on the book shelf. I out the copies of the line drawings into a binder. Now I can pull it off the shelf and flip through it to see which pattern I want to use. Then I will go to my filing cabinet and pull the envelop corresponding to the monthly issue.
I had already taken my other patterns and put them into envelopes and put the pattern envelopes into clear page covers and put them into binders.

Since I have no plans for this evening, I'm going to trace off the top "all the popular girls" (LOL) are making. It's the wrap top from the January issue of Burda.




The future is simply infinite possibility waiting to happen. What it waits on is human imagination to crystallize its possibility.

Leland Kaiser