One Done!

One sundress done, and 5 more to go! Yes, I said five. There were only four, but when I delivered this one this morning another teacher saw it and wants one for her niece. I know, I said that I wouldn't do another one, but it's hard to say no. I have to get tougher. I think I'll practice, "No, I'm sorry I don't have time." "No, I'm sorry, but I have too many orders already." "No, I'm sorry, but I've already made 6 of these, and I don't want to make any more." "No, I only want to make one-of-a-kind special occasion clothing from now on." Maybe, if I can practice some pat answers like these it will be easier.


My friend seemed very happy with this one. I really like the fabrics and how they went together. I'm having fun coordinating all these different prints.
I'm going to have to get a prettier model for my bonnets. LOL! Smokey is such a cute mascot, though. He even plays "Rocky Top." For those of you who are not college football fans, that is the UN. of TN's theme song.


Back to work! Hummmmm...... I'm not sure I like the sound of sewing being work. I'm rethinking some of my ideas. I think I'm going to take a break from all of this when I get through with this batch of orders. Like I said above, I'm thinking I only want to do "Special Occasion" children's clothes. That was my original idea, anyway. I truly want to do one-of-a-kind things. I do not like doing the same thing over and over.


This afternoon is the May birthday party at the nursing home. They have cake and ice cream to honor all of the residents who have a birthday each month. I'm going to help Mother celebrate hers again.
My FIL is having knee replacement surgery on Tuesday. Please keep him and my MIL, who has alzheimers, in your prayers. Actually, please keep my DH and his siblings in your prayers, too. Thanks!

Your Word is "Love"

You see life as possibility to form deep connections with a few people. Relationships are the center of your world, and you always take time to bond with those you love. You are caring and giving. You enjoy helping those you love. And when it comes to romantic love, you feel passionately ... even in a very long term relationship. I found this on Gorgeous Fabrics' blog This is a quiz that tells you what your word is. I love that mine is LOVE! Note the new avatar on my profile and my sidebar. I only wish I looked that good. Basically this is me, though. I made it at this site that Artfire Mom recommended.

Whew! My deadline has been extended!

Whew! The lady who wanted the 5 grandchildren's outfits by Monday has decided it will be ok to get them to her by June 15th. You have no idea the relief I felt when she told me that!!
I have only one to get done this week. I can now relax, take my time, do a better job, not be so stressed, and do other things like: eat, sleep, visit my mom, visit at school tomorrow, go to church tonight and Sunday, etc.........

This is the fabric that I bought to make the boys' shirts. Their shorts are going to be solid navy. I haven't decided exactly which patterns I'm using, but I bought these four boys' patterns. I figure that I will need boy patterns, since I have Little Man to sew for, so I didn't mind buying these.


These are the coordinating combinations that I am using for the girls' sundresses and bonnets. They are all cut out and waiting to be sewn. I will definitely get the one for my school friend made tonight. Another school friend sent me an email to tell me that the teachers are having one last luncheon tomorrow. They have a luncheon about once a month. We take food and donate $5.00 and the proceeds go to Relay for Life. Since I'm not teaching anymore, I can go and stay through everyone's lunch periods and see everyone!! I was so happy to be invited. The last day for kids is Friday. I guess the teachers will go a couple of days next week.





Here are the girls in their skirt outfits that I made for them. The streamers are left over from the jungle themed birthday party. The blue streamers actually made a waterfall that flowed into the raging river that was part of an obstacle course for the kids' party. There was a bat cave, a giant ant hill, etc.... It was fun. Kellen and Jenna were singing and dancing for us in this photo. They are really talented and so cute. Of course, I'm not partial or anything! That's Riley watching from the sideline. I'm surprised she wasn't up there with the big girls, because she is as big as they are, you know.



These are bean bag chairs that I made the girls for Christmas. I made them orange and white because of the Univ. of TN Vols. The girls watch the ballgames from these chairs. Of course, they watch other tv shows, too. The primary use for these, however, is storage for their MANY stuffed animals. This was my DD's idea. What a good one!!!! There's never room for all of those cute, but bundlesome animals that make their way into a household, especially one with 3 little girls. These have liner bags so when the outside gets dirty the animals still have a home while they are being washed.


Okay, I have procrastinated long enough.... to the sewing machine I go!

Birthday cakes galore!!

No sewing yet, but I did pick up my sewing machine today, bought more fabric, and cut out sundresses and bonnets. Sewing will start tomorrow.

As I told you in my last post, we went to the NE to help celebrate our Kellen's 9th and our Little Man's 1st birthdays, and when we got home we celebrated my mother's 85th.
Kellen started out with a kids' party. Her mom, my DD, and my DD's friend made this cupcake snake. It was a safari themed birthday party. The house was transformed into a jungle. I wouldn't have been surprised to see Tarzan and Jane jump through the vines hanging from the ceiling!!!

For the grownup family party the cake was a three tiered animal print cake. The first layer had a peacock feather design, the second, a zebra striped motif, and the top was a cheetah coat. There were snakes twined around all three layers. These cakes tasted as good as they looked. It was sad to see them cut into, though.

Then there was the HEE HAW themed party for Little Man. His mom, another of my DDs, made Grandpa's banjo. How many of you remember Hee Haw? I do. It was a really funny show. It used to bother me to think that people from other regions of the country really thought that was how it was in the South, though. The Beverly Hillbillies didn't help our image much either, right? Back to the cake, this cake was actually pretty healthy in that my DD made it with sweet potatoes rather than butter. Yummy! She made biscuits with the sweet potatoes, too. The party was complete with pulled pork BBQ and all the fixin's, a Ball Jar penny candy center piece, etc.... Really fun.

Mother's cake was a traditional bakery cake that my sister bought. She and I did not consult each other about colors or anything, but we both know that Mother likes lavender, so the cake matched the plates, cups, etc... that I bought exactly. You can see part of one of the plates in the photo. Notice that one of my great nieces, whose mom and dad, surprised us by coming to the party from SC, had to have a piece of the cake before I got a photo of it. No problem. I didn't blame her, it really did taste good. Mother had a good time. Lots of her friends sent her cards and several visited her while I was out of town.

Home again, Home again Jiggity Jog

Do you know this  little rhyme?

 To Market, to market to buy a fat pig

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

To market, to market

To buy a fat hog, 

Home again, home again, jiggity jog!

This is a little rhyme that I have repeated over and over and over again, first with my girls and now with the grands.

As you know we went out West recently to visit our DD and her family.  This past week we went to the NE to visit the other two DDs and their families.  Kellen and Little Man had birthdays.  We celebrated Kellen's 9th on Sat. the 16th and Little Man's 1st yesterday.

We just got home a little bit ago after a 15 hour drive!  

I am intrigued by words and their origins.  On this trip I really paid attention to the names of towns.  Poughkeepsie, NY, Wilkes Barre, PA, Roanoke, VA, and lots more.  I plan to research to learn more about some of these names. 

 The drive through Connecticut, Massachusetts, NY, Pennsylvania,  Virginia, and Tennessee is a beautiful one with lovely scenery.  My DH would ask how I know that because I'm usually reading or sleeping, but I pay attention more than he knows.

I read Ruby Among Us and Rose House by Tina Forkner on this trip.  Very good books.  I recommend them.

I will post photos tomorrow or the next day.

Today is actually my mother's 85th birthday.  We are celebrating tomorrow. 

On Tuesday, I get my sewing machine back.  Yea!!  I sewed some at my DDs homes.  I mended a few things ad made a few cushions, but no real sewing.  I had two messages from one of the ladies who wants 5 grandchildren outfits.  She needs them by June 1st rather than June 6th.  Hum.... I'll do my best, but I also have one other sundress and bonnet due this week.  I told her I would be out of town.  She must have forgotten.  Thank goodness the others aren't needed till the 16th.  

My DDs and their families surprised me with a wonderful bird house that one of my SILs made and some very needed sewing supplies for my birthday and Mother's Day.  They also cooked a DELICIOUS meal!!!!

My eyes are closing as I type this so I. think. I'll. go. to. bed. now.  ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............

More about the Attitude of Gratitude Award

I still can't get the logo to copy and paste, but I can go ahead and make my nominations.



The Rules of Accepting and Sharing this Award

1. Put the logo on your blog or post (Maybe you can go to smokingneedlesknitting.blogspot.com to copy the logo since that's who awarded me.)

2. Nominate a few bloggers who show an attitude of gratitude

3. Link to your nominees within your post

4. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award

5. Share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award.

6. Tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude



Some of you who I would ordinarily send this along to have already received this award. You know who you are, I think. Faye and Gwen, just to name a couple. And, of course, Knit Machine Queen, who sent it to me. There are several others who I feel deserve this award, however, and they are:

Cindy
She not only is someone I'm grateful for personally, but she has the most wonderful attitude about paying it forward. What wonderful ideas she has for her business!! Cute kids, too.

Sabine
She is my German friend who took the time to add a gidget that translates her blog into English so I can read it. I love reading it, by the way.

Sewingsister
She is a very young little lady who is learning to sew and blog with her mom's help. So impressive!!

Back Porch BlessingsShe's the kind of mom who gave up her sewing room for her daughter. She's moved back into a much smaller room with all of her sewing paraphanelia. She is a very hard worker.

Jemima BeanShe blogged about her friend's (Tina Ann Forkner) books, Ruby Among Us and Rose House, which I bought. I've read Ruby Among Us and loved it. I can't wait to read Rose House. Great books. I highly recommend them.

From A Creative HeartWhat a rough time she's been going through with her husband's illness, and the horrible care that he has been getting throught the VA.

There are so many other deserving folks out there, so I hope my nominees will send this along to others.

I know that I have received so many blessings over my lifetime and that I appreciate them all. Life has not been all rosey, of course, no one's is, but the good definitely outweighs any bad that has been in my life. I used to dwell over things that I couldn't change, but at some point I quit doing that. Any time I start feeling sorry for myself for any reason I stop and reflect on the wonderful things in my life and I get over myself in a hurry. Well, at least I try to do this. I'm guilty of pouting longer than I should. My DH usually reminds me that I need to get over it. I am just rambling and contradicting myself, so I'll quit.

Except to say that I feel so fortunate that I was given the gift of learning to sew since it is something I enjoy so very much. I inherited what creativity I have from other women in past generations in my family. Okay, my dad was creative, too, but he didn't have much influence over me. He did have some very wonderful gifts. He could draw, build with wood, and sing very well. So, he should get some credit, too.

Attitude of Gratitude, you betcha!

Thank you to Knit Machine Queen for the Attitude of Gratitude Award!! I am having problems posting things right now, so I will send this award to others as soon as I can get things going again. I am greatful for all the blessings in my life. I have a wonderful DH who I've been married to for 36 1/2 years, 3 wonderful daughters, 5 healthy grandchildren, not to mention all the other very close family members on both sides of our families. I have some of the most dear friends a person could ask for in a lifetime. I have all you blogger buddies out there, as well.