Christmas Sewing Continued!

(Linking up with Plum and June)


 As always, December is the busiest month of the year. I really thought I had a good start on it all this year, but I feel like I was "coming up the rear" in a lot of ways.
  I did manage to get a few things made and ready for Christmas along with going to some parties and church events.
  You already saw Shelby's Christmas dress. Here is another pic of her and Cayden that was on my daughter's Christmas card. 

  This is Cayden and Shelby before Christmas wearing their pajamas I put appliques on using the letter of their names. I think they look so sweet here! Well, they are sweet!

 Shelby got an American Girl doll for Christmas along with some of the cheaper 18" dolls. She wanted them so we all got her one. I told my daughter she is only little once, and by next year, she may not enjoy playing with them like she does now. I vote for anything to keep them little!
  I made a few doll clothes, but I didn't have time to make a whole lot. Her other grandma bought her some, and she already had some so she is well fixed for now. 
 My daughter found this doll dresser/wardrobe at an auction for $45.00, and it is the cutest thing ever!

  My friend bought her this pink/animal print coat and hat back in the summer. Our temps have been so warm that she didn't really need it until now so I kept it for a while so I could try and make the doll one to match. I couldn't find the exact fleece, but this did good, and Shelby loved it!

 I liked working on the little shoes, and I plan to do some more. These were done in a hurry so I told her they were house slippers. :)
  I made some pillows for all 4 of the dolls for Santa to bring. She was satisfied when her mom told her that Mrs. Claus made them. I can't wait to see what she tells me as she knows you have to use a special machine to do this. 

  They had a very good Christmas, and we are all so blessed and thankful for our sweet grands. My heart goes out to the families, faculty, and all who were effected by the Sandy Hook tragedy. They are always in my prayers.

Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Is A Coming!!

 Things have been really busy around here. We had Thanksgiving here at our house on Wednesday evening. It was just our kids, our grands, and a few extra guests. Everything was wonderful!

 Then on Thanksgiving Day, we started decorating the house. That went well, and we finished our tree on Friday.

  I've been vigorously sewing ever since. However, I had already finished Shelby's Christmas dress the week before because I wanted to get it done in case something didn't go right, and I had to remake it. Oh yes, those things happen! She will wear it in her Christmas musical on Dec. 17th.

    I used the Martha Pullen aline pattern, and the candy applique is from Embroidery Boutique.  
  It is the hard candy applique, and it worked out great with the chevron fabric.
  I had to make the doll a similar dress, and my daughter will make those pictures later on. She had to find the doll some red polka dot shoes also. 

   To get this pose, her mommy told her if she didn't smile really good, that she couldn't go to the movie the next day, she wouldn't get anything for Christmas, and she would never get to eat again. LOL Well, I guess it worked!
 I only have one of Cayden and Shelby together, but there will be more. 

 Of course, I have to add one of the boy! I just can't believe how grown up he is these days.

  Time is flying by! I'm trying to soak up every minute with these two that I can. I'm hoping we'll have some good news soon so I can show pics of our soon to be adopted foster grandchild. He is so handsome! 

 Please come back to visit!

 

A Little Fall Sewing...

 I seem to always be in a time crunch, and it's getting worse. Where does time go?
 I ended up giving up sewing time to get my sewing room back in order. It was just driving me nuts! I had to do something before I could sew another stitch. I was exhausted, and still am! At least I can see daylight in here! Literally!

 Right before the big "clean up", I made Shelby these pants mostly so I could get a good fit before making more for Christmas. I had the pink shirt, and this little cat design was so darned cute! It looks like her own cat as you will see.

 My daughter took these pics, and the cat just insisted she be in them. That cat is a hoot! She follows those kids everywhere they go - just like a puppy dog!
 If they jump on the trampoline, so does she! Or she sits on the side. She has NO FEAR! 

     Thanks for stopping by! I have some more sewing to do, and I will be posting again soon!

A Little Sewing - when there's time!

 What happened to being retired and doing what I want to do? LOL
  Well, most of the time I guess it's like that, but it sure seems like some weeks are spent in the road running here and there.
 I help to pick up my grands from school depending on how my daughter's schedule falls, and it's always different. It's not like I can go a few miles and be done. They go to school 45 miles from here and live a good ways from their school, but I do enjoy it when it happens, and it gives me a chance to see them.

  I did get started on some Christmas gifts, and I've made Shelby a couple of things.
 Shelby got a pretend American Girl doll recently, and she wanted some clothes which, of course, she wanted "yesterday!"

 On the day she got the doll from her other grandmother, Shelby got the iPod and made this video all by herself. We think it is hilarious, and if you take the time to watch it, I think you will get a big laugh also. 

 
  I had just made her this little dress/jumper below from Riley Blake Apple of my Eye fabric, and I had some scraps so I made a dress for the doll.

 Don't you just love those purple boots the doll has on? We also need to work on a shoe closet. :)
  
 The peasant dress below is one I made from a lounger of mine that I ripped. The fabric was so pretty, and I didn't want to waste it so I made it into a dress for Shelby. I had enlarged a pattern, and this was a good way to see if it would fit ok. I haven't gotten a report back on it yet, but I know she loved it when she saw it. 

 I made a little layered flower pin for the front so she would know which way to wear it, and also a belt in case she wanted a different look. I didn't make one for the doll. Really only had a few scraps left. Uh oh! 

 Shelby requested me to make her doll a gymnastics suit. (Shelby is taking gymnastics this year.) So I played around and came up with a pattern to hide that doll's partially cloth body. I used some fabric that I'd made Shelby a swimsuit with a couple of years ago. Shelby had forgotten about the swimsuit as it IS too little, but she found it, and now she's just ecstatic because they match.

Every night Shelby rolls out the comforter and some pillows to practice her flips and rolls on, and the doll has to do her flips and rolls also!
 I just love this age! So innocent, so loving, and just so much fun! 
  I hope I will have some more projects to share soon. Life has been busy, and I feel bad about not keeping my blog up to date, but I'm going to try and do better.

Come back to visit, and please let me know you were here!
 

A Fabulous Win!!

 I know some of you think I win everything I enter, but I can promise you I don't. However, I have been blessed to win some nice things. I don't enter giveaways "just to win". I only do the ones that give prizes that I know I will use or for my grandkids.

 I have won a few things on Facebook, and sometimes it's just that I found it at the right moment to enter. If all it takes is one comment, then I'm game!

 This giveaway came across my feeds one night, and I went to their page and entered. One comment! That's all! I don't think a whole lot of people saw it as there were only a few comments. 
 My name was picked and I received a message to send my address! Oh yes! I was a happy, happy girl woman!

 This is a Mini-Mate Adjustable Table! It will fit any of my machines, but when I tried it with my serger, that's all she wrote! If you sew with a serger, you know how hard it is to keep your fabric flowing evenly because they have a higher base than most machines. NOT anymore! Now I have a resting place to hold those wider pieces or ruffles! 
  If you are on Facebook, be sure to visit and like their page for a chance to win. Sew Adjustable Tables (if the link doesn't work, then put in a search). They even gave me a choice to upgrade for the difference in price, but since I don't quilt, I kept the smaller one, and it is perfect for me! 
 Visit their website HERE!
 Here are some more views using the adjustable table.

Please come back to visit!

Do You Watch "Junk Gypies"?

 

 I have gotten so hooked on Junk Gypsies that airs on HGTV.  (That's Amie and Jolie above.) They have finished their summer season, but mark this date on your calendar because they will be hosting The Endless Yard Sale on October 5th! Read all about it HERE!

  I absolutely can't wait as I was following them on Facebook during their hunt for junk! Let me tell you they can find pure junk and turn it into fine treasures! 

 The reason I got so interested in the show is that the daughter of a friend works for them in Round Top, Texas. Her name is Amy, alias Archie, and they did a bedroom makeover on the show for Amy back in the summer. You can read all about Archie HERE! She's a beautiful girl, and looks just like her mom. Archie's grandmother and my mother-in-law used to be the best of friends.

 Speaking of junk - we've been going to a lot of auctions. We've managed to bring home some pretty cool things. I will be posting some pics soon. 
 Things have been hectic around here. The grands have all started to school, and one thing after the other. I hope to be back to regular blogging soon!
Thanks for stopping by!

I'm So Far Behind!

 If I think for one minute that "this is the day I'm going to catch up on my blogging", you can bet that something is going to go haywire!!

 We kept 2 of the grands Thursday through Friday for our daughter to work. Our internet and phone started messing up slightly Friday night. When we got up Saturday morning - nothing! NO phone and NO internet!

 We'd not had any storms so I'm thinking my back door neighbors putting in a new double wide had messed up something....
  Or....the town crew that's been laying a new pipeline on the highway....because they've cut the gas lines TWICE during that process.....thank goodness we don't use natural gas!

  I called AT&T on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Yes, I was highly slightly aggravated! Actually my back door neighbor's phone was out, but it got repaired on Saturday. Our cousin that lives miles from us lost her service on Monday, and hers got repaired that same day!

  Soooooo what is the problem here??? This is a small town, and there wasn't a storm causing a lot of outages!
 I can only guess at "incompetent people or robots or whatever it is they use to communicate there"!!

 The repairman came Wednesday morning, and he couldn't believe that we'd been without service that long! For real? He was so nice, and he even said "AT&T is not the company they used to be!" I highly agree!

 Poor guy worked for a couple of hours out in the heat, and he had to climb 7 poles to get ours fixed. Evidently another incompetent person had left things in a total mess. 

 At least I can end this with a laugh! Cayden and Shelby had been playing in a mudhole at their neighbor's house. This cracks me up because my son used to do the same thing as a kid.
 The only way to clean them up was to use a good old fashioned water hose - OUTSIDE! You can see Shelby wasn't too thrilled about that part! LOL

  I have more things to share. We've been going to auctions and have found some great deals and some cool things!
 Tomorrow I have to make Shelby a tooth fairy pillow as she has a lose tooth! She just turned 5 in April! 

Come back and visit!

Dee Dee's Special Challenge!

Recently I was sent a challenge from my blogging friend, Dee Dee over at Dee Dee's Craft Spot.
 She sent a cute little embroidered heart on some white fabric for me to create some kind of little project.

  Well, it took a few weeks while for me to decide on what to do, but I didn't want to disappoint Dee Dee. I had the privilege of meeting her last summer, and we both have a special love for dogs.
  Keeping that in mind, I decided to do the challenge with a "dog" theme. (See below.)
 I hope you like this sweet friend!

 Actually, it wasn't my idea alone as Dee Dee also sent this to our blogging friend Deb at Mosaic Magpie. Being the conniving thoughtful friends that we are, we just had to do something to give back to Dee Dee. Both heads together, we decided to each make a pin cushion, and add the names of Dee Dee's little dogs, Chuck and Bentley. (Go to Deb's page to see her pin cushion.)

Unfortunately, last year she lost her precious little Lucky so I couldn't forget about him. You see Lucky was the reason I started commenting on Dee Dee's blog. We used to have a pom, and she had just died in the fall of 2010.

  Deb went back and looked and my first post on her blog was in November of 2010, and then I found Dee Dee right after that. Well, I think we both found her around the same time.

  Deb had a heart swap on her blog, and then her husband got really sick. She was determined to carry through, and somehow managed to get all of those hearts sent out.  Dee Dee has had some tough health problems to deal with, but she is such a trouper and so determined to carry on her crafting. You see where I'm going here? These two ladies are some of the most talented people I've ever met. 


  No matter how we found each other, all three of us have developed a very special bond. When we email, we send our emails so all three of us can share.  (Well, almost always. Sorry, DeeDee, we had to keep a secret!)

  I hope that someday soon we can all meet up and have a nice long visit. I know that's on my Bucket List!!
 Thanks, girls, for being the wonderful friends that you are, and mostly for sharing your talent. I have learned so much from reading your blogs, and seeing your projects.
 Love you sooooo much!

A lovely thing to win!

A few weeks ago I entered a contest over at Mermaid Sews. Lorelei was giving away some beautiful charm packs by Moda.
  I am a sucker for anything made by Moda! I was so excited when she wrote to tell me I'd won.
 Now I just have to share some pics of these charm packs. I have been collecting some charm packs so I will have a lot of choices when I start on some small quilts for the grands. These will also work in just fine with some of my ideas.

I just love all of the colors and prints! Lucky me! Thanks so much, Lorelei, for having the contest!

My Maggie Lou!! Woo Hoo!

I want to thank everyone who voted for my dog, Maggie Lou, in the photo contest. Maggie Lou did very well, and she is in the top 6 dogs so Fifi Flowers painted her picture.

 Please go and look HERE!
Fifi is an amazing artist, and she paints anything anyone wants or likes. Please go and check out her beautiful paintings.

 Thanks so much Fifi for having the contest. I never thought Maggie would do so well. We got her over a year ago, and she is two years old. Her owner died and she was being shifted around among family members. She is such a loving, protective dog! The best thing about her since she is a full blooded Yorkie is that she doesn't bark unless someone comes or she sees an animal, but she mostly barks at people! Her sister lives across the street, and she barks constantly! LOL 
  We love our Maggie!

Zebra Print Swimsuit

  This is my little granddaughter, Shelby, who is five. She is such a joy to sew for as she loves anything I make for her, and now she is starting to give me "orders" of things she wants. She has recently discovered animal print fabrics, and "this" is one of her orders! 

   The pattern came out in Sew Beautiful Magazine in 2010 Issue #130.  (You may also purchase and download the pattern from their site.) This is the 4th time I've made this pattern, but this year I changed up the way the ruffles were made. I sewed them on the outside of the top and bottoms instead of in the seams because I wanted to add the hot pink binding. I just thought the ruffles would stand out better this way, and I also added some width and length to the ruffles. 

  Shelby loves swimsuits, and since we just went to the beach last week, she had to look cute everyday! 

 These are some of her "creative poses". LOL This girl is a riot!

I love sewing for my Shelby! I finished this suit two days before we left for the beach, and she gave me orders for a zebra print purse to match, and for me to make her mommy a swimsuit like this one! Let's just say "Mimi is still working on those!" 

Thanks for stopping by!

Please vote for my dog!

Maggie is in a contest to have her picture painted by Fifi Flowers. All you have to do is leave a comment on her blog with the number of the picture. View and vote HERE.
  Her number is 12.  Plus you can vote for 6 dog pictures total!
 Oh, and since today is my birthday, just consider it a birthday present to me!! :)
  Thanks so much!

Are You Green with Envy???

 I entered a giveaway on Sew Many Ways back in May, and I was so astounded that I won. There were 125 entries, and mine was picked! Wow! 


 The prize was these beautiful hand dyed set of fat eights fabrics from Vicki Welsh. You can visit Vicki's shop HERE to see all of her lovely choices. Everyone is different. I chose the set of greens as I plan on making some I Spy quilts for the grands, and my new grandson to be loves green. (We just got word that my son and DIL can now adopt him!)

I tried to get several pics so you could see the varied colors in the dyes.







Plus I won this set of transfer sheets! Woo hoo!

Thank you Karen from Sew Many Ways for having the giveaway, and to Vicki for sponsoring the prizes! You girls rock!