Liebster Blog Award

 I was nominated for the Liebster Blog Award by Mommy's Apron Strings.  I think it will be fun to participate, so here goes:
 The Liebster Blog Award is an award given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers, most of whom have less than 200 followers (me)(or have been blogging for less than 6 months). It is to show newer bloggers that they are appreciated, and to help spread the word about new blogs. It was created to promote appreciation and recognition among the blog world. Liebster translates to “dearest” (or favorite/best) in German. It is also known as the Love Blog Award." It's been fun to get to know some bloggers better and a great way to pass on the love.

Here are the rules:
1. You must post 11 random things about yourself
2. Answer the 11 questions given by the nominator.
3. Create 11 new questions for those you nominate.
4. Choose 11 new blogs and link to them in your post.

11 Random things about myself:

1.  I would have never gone to college if two of my high school teachers hadn't pushed me to go. I had no clue that I could go even though my family was poor.
2.  As a young baby, I broke my arm. My brother was supposed to be watching me, and I rolled out of a chair. My mom didn't know for a couple of days. She finally figured it out when I would scream every time she picked me up. That was way back in 1949! LOL 
3.  My dad was a talented musician, and I can't carry a tune or play any kind of instrument!
4.  My husband and I had our first date at a Lettermen concert. We both said, "He or She is nice, but not someone I'd want to marry!" Three months later, we were engaged!
5.  My first baby, Emily, weighed 10 lbs. 7 oz, and I did not have a C section! Let's just say I sat on a pillow for 2 weeks!
6.  I have been married for over 41 years, and when people say they finish each other's sentences, well, it's true! We have been known to send each other the same text message at the same time without any previous discussion. Kind of eerie!   
7.  I like to stay up late and sleep late if I can. Sometimes I have to get up early, but it is sure hard! When I taught school, it was so hard for me to go to sleep early. 
8.  I made nearly all of my clothes in high school. Buying fabric then was much cheaper than buying retail. I was also proud of myself too!  I would change up my patterns to make them look different, but used a lot of the same patterns. 
9.  I worked as a summer missionary for 2 summers in college. Right before we came home when I was in Washington state, we went out into the Pacific Ocean with a family that owned a fishing boat. They ran out of gas, and we had to be rescued at night in the fog. I was puking my brains out and scared to death I would miss my flight the next day - let alone the fact that I might drown on the way in while crossing the bar! The Coast Guard told us the boat could flip in the waves. I never told my parents about that! They didn't want me to go anyway, and they would have never let me leave the house again! Ha!
10. I made pageant dresses for a couple of years to make money after I got laid off from AT&T.   
11. I live in a small town in Louisiana right on the Texas border. I like to buy groceries in TX because we don't have to pay sales tax, and plus, we don't even have a grocery store here! 

 The 11 questions for me to answer:

 1. Why did you start your blog?
     Actually, I didn't start my blog. My daughter did it when I was having surgery for tongue cancer in May '08 so everyone could see the updates about my surgery. I decided to keep it going to give updates, and added things about family and sewing.
 
  2. What are your hobbies?
   My favorite hobby is sewing and embroidery. I have sewn since I was a kid, and it is like therapy for me.

   3. Your favorite place on earth?
   You mean besides my sewing room? LOL That is hard! I have traveled a few places, and have been on a couple of cruises - which I loved, but I think my favorite place is the state of Tennessee. I have loved going to every place I've been in that state. It just seems to have a special place in my heart. 
 
  4. What year would you like to visit for a week as a time-traveler?
  I think I would like to visit the prairie days like in Little House on the Prairie. People seemed to have such a respect for loving and helping each other.
 
  5. If you didn't have the job you have, what would you want to do instead?
  I'm retired right now, and I think this is the best job ever! I get to spend time with my grands and sew to my heart's contest - most days! 

  6. What is your favorite food?
  My favorite food is pasta - I love pasta with alfredo sauce. I just can't have it as often as I'd like. :(

  7. What is your favorite period in fashion?
  I think my favorite is the 50's as that was when I was raised, and I love looking back at the old patterns from then. I also like making some of those for my granddaughter.

  8. What is your favorite novel or series?
  I don't read as much as I used to, however, after I had my surgery, I had nothing else to do as I couldn't sew or do much of anything. My daughter brought me the Twilight series, and I read all of them in a few weeks. I didn't think I would like them, but they were pretty intriguing. 
 
  9. What famous person do you most admire?
 I admire anyone who was raised in poverty, rose above it to achieve fame, and still remember where they came from. People like Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. I also admire Nancy Zieman (Sewing with Nancy) as I just met her at a sewing seminar. She didn't let her handicap that paralyzed her face when she was a child stop her from doing what she loves. She is such a sweet and compassionate person who loves to share her knowledge. (coming in another post)


10. What is your favorite restaurant?
  It's hard to pick a favorite restaurant. In our area, I guess it would be the Olive Garden (of course for the pasta!) However I do love the soup and salad also.
 When we go to Destin, FL, I like to eat at Dewey Destin on the pier. I also like The Back Porch!
 
11. If you are a crafter, what is your favorite thing you've ever made?
 Oh my, I have made so many things in my lifetime. I made my prom dresses in high school, my grandbabies outfits they wore home from the hospital, and a little bit of everything. I think my favorite was Shelby's beach dress when she was 3 as it was featured on the Sew Beautiful Blog. 

 Now I'm supposed to post 11 questions for the bloggers I chose to answer. I may have to repeat some of the above to help us to get to know them better.

1. Why do you like blogging?
2. Who are the most important people in your life?
3. What is something you would do or attempt if you could not fail?
4. Who influenced your life the most as you were growing up.
5. If you could travel anywhere you haven't been, where would it be and why?
6. Tell us one of your favorite quotes.
7.  Do you have good computer skills? If so, how did you learn them?
8. Describe yourself in 5 words.
9.  When life throws you lemons, you ______________.
10. Is your best friend in high school still your best friend, or even just a friend?
11. What causes you to get your feelings hurt? 

Now to name some blogs that I would like to give this award to. I hope they will have time to respond. It does take time to do this so please do the best you can.

1.  Everything Sewing  
2.  Just Give Me A Needle 
3.  Original Stitches 
4.  SewCraftyKathy 
5.  This 'n That in the Rose Garden
  
 

My Word from 2012!

 Maybe some of you remember my word for last year that I posted in January?

  The word was "innovative" which was in this POST.  I guess it's just befitting that I follow up on that post.

  I think I did pretty good trying to do some different things this year, and not just with sewing.  I may be partial, but I thought my little lamp makeover was pretty "innovative"!

  This was one of my recent posts in case you missed it. Amy Anderson from Modge Podge Rocks really liked it, and she's going to share it on FB. 
  My embroidery machine passed away during Christmas so I had to be "innovative" in finishing these pajamas for my grandsons.

 I drew the designs to match the fabric in the pants, and then I stitched around every edge on my sewing machine. Now I know why I like my embroidery machine sooooo much! 
  I know there have to be more ways than this that I have been "innovative", but right now my feeble mind is just not remembering.
 The one place I wish I could be "innovative" is cleaning the house. That just gets to be the most dreadful thing I have to do some days!
  Any suggestions????

  ....and NO, I don't have a word for 2013 - yet!!
  I hope if you read this post that you will comment with ways you have been "innovative" in 2012!!

Thanks for looking! 
 

I Need Your Help!

  I've entered a photo contest on Facebook to try and win a makeover for a piece of furniture.
  This is my mother-in-law's old sewing bench. After she passed away I brought it home, and it's in dire need of a makeover.
  The girl on JUNK COUTURE is so talented, and it would mean the world to me to win.
  If you are on Facebook, would you please go and LIKE her page, and then LIKE my photo? Pretty please!
  This is the LINK to my photo. You must like the page first, and if you don't want to continue to be a fan, you can unlike the page after the contest. However, she does some fabulous makeovers that I think you would enjoy seeing. 
 This is the photo you will be voting on. You can see it really needs a makeover. My mil painted it pink! then added this yucky green fabric to the top! LOL It didn't stop her from using it because she kept all of her sewing stuff in this bench by her recliner.

 Thanks to any of you that would do this for me! I will let you know how it turns out. Voting ends on Sunday night!

Hugs to all!
  

Extreme Lamp Makeover!

(Linking up to Night Owl Crafting - Hoo's Got Talent!)

 Actually, I've named it E.T. because it reminds me of E.T. 
 My little granddaughter, Shelby, left me this little plastic E.T. that sits in my sewing room. I really didn't think of the lamp as looking like E.T. until I finished the makeover. 

  The little LED lamp was bought in a local auction for $5.00. Of course, it was camouflage which is NOT one of my favorite choices for decor or anything really!

  I had a sample kit of Mod Podge from a blog giveaway I won a while back just waiting for me to come up with a brilliant decent idea to use it.
  Since Christmas, I have been trying to figure out some ways to spruce up my sewing room.  I had saved the selvedges from some of my favorite fabrics in a little box so it seemed like a good time to use them.
 I wasn't sure the fabric would stick to the plastic, but it did. I used the Glossy Mod Podge, and it did just fine!  So here she is! I think it's a hoot! 

 Then I coated it with the Sparkle Mod Podge to give it some life, and it worked just perfect - at least to me! I suppose you can see where some of my favorite fabrics come from.
 Thanks for stopping by. I love to read your comments!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

...even if it is a few days late!
   I may not have been posting very much, but I do like to keep up with my blog reading. I leave comments when I have time, and I do appreciate those that take the time to come here and comment. Many people reply in emails, but never come to visit. :(

 We've had a busy holiday season like everyone else with family, friends, and church. We've also been keeping the little grands a few times. School will start back on Monday so hopefully, everyone will be back in a routine.

 We had a great Christmas, and the kids certainly did! I didn't get everything finished that I had wanted to do, but it will get done one of these days. Shelby loved the doll outfits I made, and all of the kids loved their pajamas. I have some more to do which shouldn't take long as soon as I get my embroidery machine out of the shop.

 I also made these jar labels - which I love! I made these for the grands' teachers, a bus driver, and a friend of my daughter's. I will be making some more of these. The design came from Applique Market.   There are just endless possibilities with these! 

 

  I've also won a couple of giveaways which I will be posting about soon! 
   Hope you all come back to visit!

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!