Sunday, February 28, 2010

We live in a Zoo

And everyone wants Papa's attention.  Well, almost everyone. I think the Chief wants to eat Angel.

Happy Birthday Chief!

Today is the Chief's birthday.  She turned 1 today. I'm not sure what that is in kitty years.  Does anyone have the formula??? Here she is claiming the crockpot carrier as her new bed. She thinks it's just perfect. We had a slap contest after this photo to get her out of it!!! I won because I'm the human! I finished one of the burpies before work.  Made from a new (unused) diaper, it will be very absorbent and able to handle any yak that may spew!!! Get ready for mega maternity and baby sewing!  Design purchased from Embroidery Library.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Oh No!

Apologies in advance for that awful title! Probably why I am a nurse and not a journalist.  I was very excited that Apolo Ohno made it into the 500 finals. His chances were excellent to medal in that event until the unfortunate incident. There was a spin out and he was disqualified for a push off that resulted in another skater going down. I made my dear husband leave the TV on for the race (normally I am asleep before he is) and I felt bad that I kept him awake for such a disappointment. Oh well, I'm sure Apolo feels worse than I do! I did accomplish some sewing amid other projects yesterday.  I got up bright and early to varnish hardwoods for the stairs.  Tom will most likely start laying them next week (Yay!) The all we will have left to replace is some carpet upstairs in 2 bedrooms. That feels good.  I finished 2 minky baby blankets and a burpee yesterday before lunch.  After lunch we went into Portland to see some good friends who are here for a wrestling tournament.  Their youngest daughter made it to the state finals, and although she didn't place, she did pin one guy and really gave it her all.  She is only a freshman, so I'm sure we'll see Lizzy here again next year.  Tonight is the fireman's banquet, so I need to decide which dress I will wear.  I have a couple that I have made and not worn, so I do have options.  The rest of the week is dedicated to work. We have a new class coming in and I have a couple doubles on the horizon.  Hope to sew more later.  Thanks to all the well-wishers who commented about my daughter's pregnancy.  We are all pretty excited!!!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

The Cat is Officially out of the Bag!!!

I have been making baby stuff for the last couple months. My daughter is almost through her first trimester so I have been given the official go ahead to announce to the world...I'm going to be a Grandma!!! Here is one of the first pictures of our much loved baby...heart rate 168 and an active little skipper...can't wait to meet her/him!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Sewing and Thrifting...

Today was a mixed bag.  I did finish the projects I set out to do.  I did a little thrift shopping and it was an interesting study of people.  I was perusing the "free" book shelf and finding some wonderful things.  A woman came up behind me (there is limited space in this area) and commented "oh, there's nothing there today."  I replied there were some nice children's books to which she said "Harumph!" I made my selections and moved on to another room, but it was funny to see her scurry right over there and scoop up like 25 books after I left! Nothing there, huh? I think what she was really saying was "get out of my way, I want to scoop up all the books!"  I found a lovely pair of Dansko shoes that appeared new, but unfortunately they were too big for me, so I passed.  I was browsing and this clip fell from somewhere (the sky is falling...the sky is falling!) I struck up a conversation with a woman who wandered back and turned her onto the Danskos since she looked like her feet might be a little bigger than mine! She was so excited!  That's what I love about thrift shopping...the thrill of finding an unexpected treasure. I roasted a chicken for dinner tonight at the station.  Those guys are so appreciative of any meal.  I always cook enough for an army, so Brandon joined us as well...it's great to have dinner with friends every third night!  Now it's Olympics and some pineapple upside down cake...then bed! G'night!!!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

It's Raining Again

I knew the sunshine couldn't last forever.  A new front blew the rain in, but it will be okay.  Tomorrow is a day off and my hero will be on duty...house to myself...hmmm? What shall I do??? I know...SEW!!!  I did most of the work on 4 nursing covers yesterday (one is complete) and another 45 minutes respectively and the rest will be done.  I have two baby blankets to finish the edges with the cover stitch before I convert the Evolve back to serger for top-a-palooza sewing. I also received my March BurdaStyle yesterday and there are a couple skirts that caught my eye.  I am thinking spring sewing...are you all feeling it too?  Hope by Friday to have a bunch of new garments to show for the rainy weather!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Onward and Upward

I wandered over to Borders on my lunch today. I like books. I have lots of books, so I try to utilize the library as much as possible to check out books before I add them to my library.  I was armed with a coupon for 30% off and another for a free cup of coffee. I intended to pick up the Ree Drummond's Pioneer Woman's cookbook, but I was sidetracked by the One Yard Wonders book.  Leafing through it I saw this adorable pattern to make a child's fire helmet and I had to have it. Sorry Ree...next coupon.  I had seen notices soliciting submissions for the next one yard wonders book that will feature using different types of fabrics.  So scatter brain is now in hyper drive thinking up patterns to submit.  I have a couple of ideas already screaming to be let out...just what I need, something else to do!  I love to create!!!

Friday, February 19, 2010

The $1.00 Duvet or What I did While Watching old Movies

The duvet is done! Thank you Annie for putting the idea in my head, and praises be to the one who allowed me time to put this thing together. And my friends that made the blocks. You guys all rock!!! In spite of a few missteps along the way ( I really hate when I pull something off the embroidery machine and realize the hoop has been sewn to it! Twice!), this project went together quite nicely and I think my Hunny will approve when he gets home tomorrow! Here is a close up of the snowflake quilting motif I embroidered in the center of each block.  The base of this duvet was a king sized sheet that wrapped around the sides, sewn to the patchwork centerpiece.  Now I can move on to the other hundred projects I have on tap!  I mentioned old movies...it's no secret around here that I like old movies.  I collect them.  Yesterday I watched "Rudy" (Go Irish!), "The Jazz Singer" (or who knew Neil Diamond was such a hottie?) and "To Kill a Mockingbird" (What more can I say?).  I had some finish work to do on the duvet today, so I watched Neil Simon's "The Goodbye Girl" (I really like Richard Dreyfus) and one of my all time favs "An Affair to Remember" with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr.  I love her fashion in this movie.  I adore this dress and I apologize for not having a better picture, but the bodice is woven chiffon and the orange forms this amazing cowl back. 
You should watch the movie just to see the clothes. Well, now that I've completed something, I better get at my house chores...tomorrow is back to work and it's a double! Wahoo!!!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

I Love a small town and AWESOME Thrift Day

Note: I just spent a half hour writing a post and then it just disappeared. Thanks Blogger...I'm saying bad words I can't post right now!

Breathe deeply...okay...I Love a small town, take 2.  Olympic Spoiler...Lindsey Vonn got the gold!!! Whoohoo!!! The news said look away if you want to watch the coverage and be surprised...I couldn't stand it...I looked. I might be asleep by the time it comes on in prime time. 
I took this picture the other day on President's day. Our small town is very patriotic and flies old Glory for every patriotic holiday.  We also love parades!  I grew up in a small town much like this.  When we retire to LaPine, I will probably die in a small town. I stole that for John Cougar Mellencamp. What's up with the "Cougar"?  I went for a nice training walk this afternoon with my training partner.
He still has a smile on his face after 3 miles.  I had to run some errands this morning so I popped into the Yellow house to look for a little treasure (that's how I roll). The first thing I found was a Dooney & Bourke purse. For a BUCK.  Then I found a gorgeous plaid Pendleton jacket lined with thinsulate for $2.00. The prices have gone up and the gal at the register was apologetic, I was like "oh, it's 2 dollars?" when in my mind I was thinking "I'm going to do a freakin' cartwheel in the parking lot when I leave here!" Not really, I probably would break a hip! Here are the treasures I found:

As if that was not enough, I stopped at our Book Nook which supports our local library. Magazines are free...here's what I got:

I felt compelled to buy something since I scored so big on the mags, so here are the videos I got for fifty cents a piece:
The only thing that would make this day better is if my sweetie were here to snuggle with...Miss ya Honey!!!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

ADD Update

Well, I did get into the quilt scrap tote, but my initial plans got derailed. A couple years ago I participated in a block swap with some quilting friends.  I received blocks from everyone except for 2 people (and you know who you are!) I was in no big hurry to put this quilt together and I kept getting promises that the blocks were coming...um...yeah...doesn't even get mentioned anymore!  I got my blocks out and arranged them on the bed today...they will work perfectly for this project and I had a perfect brown cotton for the sashing, so this project should be a go!!! I also got 4 more burpies embroidered while masterminding the duvet...all and all a successful day in the studio...more to come!

I suffer from sewing ADD

Anyone else out there afflicted? I have so many ideas swirling around in my head it's insane! On top of baby sewing/embroidery, maternity clothes, top-a-palooza, to name a few of my schemes, my friend Annie showed me fabric she bought at Fabric Depot this weekend to make duvets. I took a jaundiced eye to the duvet cover on my bed and thought, "Hey, that looks pretty shabby, I need to make a new duvet!" Yikes!!! Luckily I found a brand new King size flat sheet at the thrift store in the most delicious color of chocolate brown to star as the bottom of my duvet. I have this diabolical plan for a wraparound so that the bottom layer becomes the edging as well around the center, which will be a quilting masterpiece. Well, maybe not a masterpiece because I would like to whip this out before Tom returns from Fire Academy, but it will be nice. The quilted piece will be done in strip fashion for speed and then the trusty EMP6 will do the quilting while I work on something else! I am leaving the top hem of the sheet intact and it will fold up and button envelope style to encase the down comforter.  Now I'm off to dig through the quilt fabric tote for the perfect fabrics. Hope I don't get distracted with another project!!!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

No Sew Sunday

They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions...so is the road to UFOs!  I had every intention of getting up and sewing before I went to work today, but somehow the morning got away from me, so nary a stitch was done today. Maybe before bed I can do a little.  I collapsed in the recliner last night and promptly fell asleep right before Apolo Ohno's silver medal race...dang it! I hate when I am waiting to watch something and wake up to realize it's over. Not that I can't go online and see it...I'm sure I can...it's just the principle of the matter. Is there anyone else out there that can't pull an all-nighter anymore like in their younger days? I think I need a nap!!!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

A Little Bit of This...A Little Bit of That...

Today has been one of those days where I have done a lot of things, but don't really have much to show for it.  I worked today, I sewed a little, I enjoyed my Godchildren and their parents and went out to dinner with them.  I talked to my sweet Baboo who made it safely to Baltimore.  I shopped a little on line...I put in my treadmill time...I digitized a bit...I embroidered a bit...Did a little bit of laundry and housework...gave the Pom a bath...I wonder why I'm tired...maybe I'll go curl up in the recliner with the Chief and watch a little bit of Olympics...Go USA!!!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Hail to the Chief

The Chief had her little surgery yesterday and here she is with the cone of shame on! When we got up this morning she had figured out how to ditch the e-collar, but she doesn't seem to be licking her incision and it looks good with no signs or symptoms of infection, so I'll let her be without the cone as long as she behaves.  Hope to get some sewing in after I do my household chores. Tom informed me I will have company this weekend, so I must go spiff up the guest room.  Embroidery Library has Happy Hour this weekend and Reen has the cutest little Olympic gold medal designs for onesies on her Yahoo group! Must get chores done so I can sew!!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

For All the Busy Mothers Out There...

Go check out this new book coming out soon for all of us creative mothers at An artful life and you have a chance to win a copy!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Date Report...

Another fabulous year at the Sports Show.  We took in a couple of classes.  The Fly Fishing Central Oregon was very inspirational and I loved that the instructor highlighted some of my favorite lakes! He called Crane Prairie his "social fishing spot" where he likes to take friends and family (not customers).  And the good news is that the trout are making a comeback in Crane.  Small mouth bass were introduced illegally into the reservoir and the balance had been upset, but things are improving.  He also talked alot about Browns in East lake, which I would really like to fish.  East Lake is another crater lake...sister to Paulina (one of my most favorite spots in the world)...absolutely beautiful!!! We usually run into someone we haven't seen in forever and today was no exception.  I had just been telling the students about a state police officer we knew when we lived on the coast who had let me off once when I got caught speeding.  This officer was known for being tough...to quote my husband's BFF "Swede would give his own Mother a ticket!!!" He had transferred to Fish and Game a long time ago and we all have moved on...He was working at the show in the Fish and Game booth! Small world!!! We had a wonderful time, capped off with a wonderful meal when we returned home...Happy!!!  Tomorrow is the Chief's surgery...all the animals are up in arms because the food and water have been pulled...sorry guys...NPO after 2000!!! Up early with lots of chores to do...maybe some sewing in the afternoon???

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Annual Date

Tomorrow Tom and I are having our "annual date" at the Sportsman Show.  We try to make it to this event every year because we both really enjoy it.  Sometimes others go with us and sometimes it's just us.  I was excited to see a class on fly fishing in Central Oregon tomorrow, so we're going to go early enough to catch that and some of the other classes too.  Plus all the vendors...most years we leave with some cool gear.  I'm also excited to talk to some of the log home builders and pick up some possible floor plans for Tom and Mary's old folks home!  No sewing today as I worked a double shift, but I will leave you with a picture of a recent project that is on it's way to England...I don't know how often my girl checks my blog, but this will just be a little tease of what's in her care package!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

It's On...

Top-a-palooza that is...I have 5 tops cut out, ready to sew...bring it on!!!

Another One Bites the Dust!!!

Hooray for me! The scrubs project is history! I finished the last one today before work!  I would take a picture, but they are already in a box set to send to Merry ol' England, and I'm not dragging them out! I've dilly-dallied way to long due to the home renovation activities. It does feel good to get some things out of the way, but the studio is a wreck! Looks like a bomb went off in the fabric closet.  Does anyone else have that problem when they are getting creative? I get an idea and then I have to find a certain fabric and a certain pattern and then let's not even visit the notions cupboard!!! Yikes! I'll straighten it out when Tom leaves for Fire Academy...it's going to be an all day (and maybe part of the night) affair. I did get some inspiration to have a top-a-palooza sew-a-thon though.  My wardrobe is sorely lacking some good casual Tee's and tops, so I plan to cut out a bunch to assembly line.  And speaking of assembly, why do pattern companies feel it necessary to set the sleeves on a scrub pattern? Seriously? They're scrubs! It's not a couture jacket! I attached them flat and then zipped up the side seams...easy peasy! Of course, I have been looking for the easy way ever since I learned to sew.  My poor Mother and home ec teacher would cringe and ask "What are you doing???" Funny, when I went to work for Jantzen, that's the way we did things on the line and no one was raising an eyebrow!!! Anyway, in an effort to include more pictures (since I'm too lazy to take pictures of the things I make), I'll leave you with an impressive picture of the burn to learn the department had yesterday.  The good news is that no one got hurt and some good training was had by all!!!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

We now resume the regular sewing...

Whew!!! After marathon painting on my days off, I am really looking forward to some time in the studio! I finished the stairwell and hall and thought I was done with the trim, but alas I have a few more pieces to do! The end is in sight and leaves me with a little time to focus on what I really want to be doing...sewing! Good thing too...I have another delivery from Fabric.com due to drop in next week, so I need to make way. I am doing pretty well on getting the new fabrics worked up, but I have been buying with specific projects in mind.  I have this darling retro border print in pink and brown coming that is destined to be a skirt for my best girl. Tom is leaving for Fire Academy next Saturday, so my only responsibilities will be to keep myself and the critters fed and clean, so sewing will be the order of the week! Yee Haw!!!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Silent, but not idle...

I have been one poor correspondent lately, but that does not mean I have not been doing anything...quite the contrary! Home improvement projects have dominated my days off and while we can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel...were not quite there yet! Kitchen and dining room are painted and the floor is almost complete.  Tom had to work today or they would be done.  Jason came this morning to help put the fridge back in place, so now it is not standing in front of the sliding glass door anymore. I took a critical eye to the stairwell and upstair hallway, so now I'm going to paint that before Tom gets the hardwoods down on the stairs.  That's the problem with home improvement...you fix up one area and then the other areas look shabby! Anyway, the camera has been lying out to document this progress and I leave you with one of my favorite pictures...Figgy slays the bear (rug)!

Project Dress a Girl

For the past couple of years, I have made dresses for Project Dress a Girl Around the World, in part thanks to the campaign launched by Mari...