February 27, 2009

If you think Motherhood is wonderful.......

I've said it before (here) but I'm going to say it again.......

GRANDPARENTING IS THE BEST THING EVER!!...........

Last night, 4 yr.old Grandson and I were having some one-on-one time in my room, snuggling on my bed reading his favorite books. When we were done he turned to me and said:

"Mimi, when you die, I'm probably going to miss you....."

(.....probably?)

February 22, 2009

Dear Gram......

Dear Gram....
I am 4 now. I was so excited to get my own mail from you with a Wal-Mart card!
Today Mimi took me to Wal-Mart.
When we were driving in the car I told her that Wal-Mart was my favorite place in the whole world and the library, too, because you know I want to be a Library Guy when I grow up....
First Mimi asked me if maybe I wanted to get some new clothes but I told her NO THANK YOU!
Hmmmmm....... I've been wanting some new playdough, but I always get in trouble when it gets stuck in the carpet.......
I really like pirate stuff but Legos cost too much money. I only had $10.00 and Pirate Legos cost WAY more than that.
HEY!! They have the Playmobile stuff that I like and there's even pirates! ...and knights and gladiators, too!
I got 3 sets of Playmobile and they're way better than Legos anyway!
Thank You, Gram! I really love these new toys and I got to get an Oreo McFlurry, too!
Being 4 is really good!

February 20, 2009

Words to live by.......

(I wish I'd said that.......)

For most of my 51 years, all around me, I've heard/seen/read about those who have "quotes" by other people that have meant everything to them, or even in some ways shaped their lives. I had never come across anyone else's words that had that kind of impact on me.....until about 3 years ago. I don't know if it's my "mature" age (mature??) or the place that I find myself at this stage of my life, but I recently realized that I had quite a nice little collection of quotes that I'd been writing down for future reference.

I'm sharing them here, with the hope that you might find some of them useful to you as well.....

1. My Daughter shared this one with me. She saw Oprah quoting it on her show one day and I only wish I'd heard this a lifetime ago (definitely words to live by for all of us!):

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the FIRST time!" (Maya Angelou)

2. A close male friend shared this with me. It was the barometer he used to know his wife was the "right one":

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having to neither weigh thought or measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away" (author??)

3. I wish I'd heard this one 35 years ago......

"Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together, and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner." (Amy Bloom in New Woman)

4. This one has made a huge difference in my life. It's the one across the top of my blog.

"Time you enjoyed wasting is not time wasted" (T.S.Eliot)

5. This one speaks for itself:

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." (Judy Garland)

6. I found this one recently and have it posted in my office for everyone to see every day. I find that almost every stranger I deal with at work on a daily basis annoys me tremendously and I need this little reminder in front of me (**I would NOT be good at customer service! Bless all of you who do that for a living!)

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." (author??)

7. And this last one I would like to have tattooed on the foreheads of all of my granddaughters, backwards, so they could read it in the mirror everyday! Every girl in the world should have to memorize this one!

"I decided I wouldn't marry a man unless I could be proud if we had a son who turned out exactly like him." (Maggie Mason)

I only wish I was as smart and wise as all of the authors of these words.....but since I'm not, I'll just have to be content to pass on their words whenever possible.

February 16, 2009

Naked Baby

"Mimi.....this baby doesn't have any clothes. I think she needs you to make her something."









.....happy baby......happy little mommy!

February 7, 2009

Just call me June Cleaver.......

My package arrived from my secret partner in the the "SUGAR AND SPICE and EVERYTHING NICE VALENTINE APRON SWAP" and I was NOT disappointed!! I've been in enough swaps now to know you can never be sure how things will turn out...you are supposed to send a package that you would love to receive, and sometimes the results make you wonder....(???)

HOWEVER...such is not the case with my fabulous package from Paula B. from Newnan, GA. Here...see for yourself:

BEHOLD the lovliness of my new "June Cleaver" Apron!!



No, your eyes are not deceiving you. That really is Battenberg lace and pearls you see! PEARLS!! Pearls and lace for my new apron! Isn't it lovely?



Look at the details on the pockets

I put it on immediately and started to make some dinner, and then it hit me....What the heck am I doing? This apron is not going to get stained and messy! I'm keeping this one for special occasions. (I never saw June Cleaver with any stains on her apron!)

To top it all off she made a cute little appliqued fabric gift bag full of goodies: candy, cookies, hankie, and some charms and buttons.

When I e-mailed Paula to let her know how much I loved everything, she mentioned that she was new at sewing and this was only her 3rd apron. She has been teaching herself to sew! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Well, I immediately examined the apron closely (sorry Paula, I couldn't help myself...) and I DON'T THINK I BELIEVE HER!! I'm telling you Paula, your workmanship is lovely and some of it is better than mine, and I've been sewing for 35 years!

Keep up the good work Paula and I know I'll be running into you again around Apron-Swap-Blogland-Apronista-site world....

February 4, 2009

SSEN Valentine Apron Swap (sent)

For the SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE SASSY FLIRTY APRON SWAP, the theme was Valentines Day.


Rules were simple: send a marvelous Valentine apron, Valentine goodies, and a note revealing your identity. "Just make it a package you would love to receive!"


my partner was KELLY K. from Lagrangeville, NY. (Hi Kelly!)


Here is what my package to Kelly included:


The one apron I made 2 weekends ago during my 6-apron-frenzy-of-a-weekend that wasn't for the ETSY shop.........


a half-apron made from a Valentine tea towel that I found at Wal-mart. The ties are wide grosgrain ribbon and I added a pocket made from scraps leftover from one of the other aprons.


Also one of my favorite furry fleece scarves that went over so well with my family at Christmas. And Kelly tells me this is even her favorite color, how about that!





And last but not least,a yard of cute Valentine fabric and some Valentine ribbon for a project of her own AND an embellished spiral notebook, one of my own personal favorite things.




Oh, yes, and of course a bunch of avocados. I always enjoy sending these to non-Californians. They are always so appreciative!






I've already heard from Kelly and she really loves her whole package.


It's so satisfying to feel like you've made someone happy, especially a secret partner that you don't know. I've really enjoyed this swap... Thank You so much Lucy and Shawnee for doing a great job and putting in so much time and effort to make this such a wonderful swap......


I'm going out to the mailbox right now to see if Mr. Mailman has brought me my package yet! So much fun to get a secret package! Although I can honestly say I think I enjoy the sending even better than the receiving!

February 2, 2009

Weekend update & a movie review

Well.....I didn't quite meet my entire sewing goal for this past weekend, but close enough for my own personal satisfaction, and that's what counts here, right?

3 out of 4 Chicken aprons completed:









I especially like the one with the yellow trim. The yellow fabric reminds me of corn or chicken feed, so I think the two fabrics really compliment each other. All are for sale in my Etsy shop. (Kathi D. don't you need a chicken apron?)

I also finally made myself my flannel grasshopper pillow case, that I originally posted about here a long time ago

it only took all of 8 minutes....well, actually 8 months and 8 minutes!


(ATTN: Heather...spoiler alert!)
I didn't get everything made for Christmas that I wanted to, so I'll be mailing off a box of Avocados to my Sister in Seattle and including this tote bag made from a re-usable shopping bag with photos of her kids appliqued on both sides
and 3 furry fleece scarves, one for her and one for each of her 2 youngest daughters.


so Heather, if you're reading this, keep an eye out at the end of week for a PERISHABLE package from me.....don't let those avos freeze on your front porch!

********************************************************************

"MAMMA MIA!"

OK.... so I watched MAMMA MIA while sewing on Saturday and I defy you to see this movie without wanting to do the following;

1. ....plan a vacation to Greece IMMEDIATELY! I've alway wanted to go there anyway and now you just try and stop me!

2. .....be best friends with MERYL STREEP! I read on IMDB.COM that Olivia Newton-John and Michelle Pfeiffer were both considered for the role and the producers didn't originally want Meryl Streep, but she really pushed hard for the part and she was GREAT!! You can tell she (and the whole cast) are just having a blast making this film! (if you love movies and don't visit this site regularly to check out every movie you watch, bookmark it and start using it. The trivia on each movie is the best part!)

3. ....start going to Karaoke....and believe me I've never in my life cared anything about Karaoke! I don't even sing to myself when I'm alone, but suddenly I understand how people can be obsessed with Karaoke....YAY! for ABBA!

This was such a fun, uplifting movie. It wasn't the best thing to be watching while I was trying to sew, it was too distracting! I usually put on something that I've seen a dozen times and can just listen to, so when the sewing was done I watched it a second time to give it my full attention!.....I'm going to watch it one more time tonight before I return it to Granddaughter. Definitely 2 thumbs up!!


....what an excellent weekend!