Missed Monday

Okay, had every intention to post my menu plan on Monday, for Menu Plan Monday over at Laura's blog that I follow called I'm an Organizing Junkie. It is a great site for dinner ideas and real motivator for keeping on track. All the inspiration with over 300 fellow bloggers that all post their MPM (Meal Plan Monday) menus for the week. I am constantly both amazed and surprised at the variety, you really should grab a glass of tea or cup of what ever and just sit and read through them. Every type of dish, from meat and hearty to vegetarian to light and everything in between. From all over the world too. I learned that a pie doesn't mean the same thing everywhere. LOL

This week's plan:

Mon - Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes, beans
Tue - Chicken Rice Enchiladas, Frito Salad, cantaloupe
Wed - Baked Talapia, Salad, Dutch Green Beans
Thu - Crock pot Sloppy Joe, Tater Tots
Fri - Pizza
Sat - Sandwiches, Chips
Sun - Steak, Baked Potato, Salad

Although, Wednesday may change a little since it is expected to be 110 degrees here, and since my kitchen is west facing, not sure I want to do any baking tomorrow. But, that is the plan.

On a more positive note, tonight's dish was a huge hit. Didn't have a recipe, which happens around here a lot, but here it is.

It was so good, and you know how I tell if it is a hit? No left overs. And this particular main dish was very cheap.

I bought some rice mixes on sale, this one was a mix for Spanish rice and it was .75 and was prepared in the microwave. In to the rice I chopped up the last few pieces of some packaged fajita chicken strips costing about .50 which is pre-cooked. Flour tortillas that cost about .80 and about 2 cups of grated cheddar, divided for another 1.40 for the portion I used. There was also about .30 worth of red enchilada sauce and an avocado that was .25 sliced up. Here is what I did with all of that. I mixed the chicken and rice together. In the baking dish I layered the rice, just a thin layer to cover the bottom. Then, mixed in about half the cheese with the remaining rice mixture, spooned it in to a tortilla and added avocado slices, rolled up and placed a toothpick to hold it closed. Layered these on top of the rice. Poured a little bit of the enchilada sauce over the tops of the rolled flour tortillas. Layered the rest of the cheese all over the rolled tortillas. Placed slices of avocado on top of that, loosely covered with foil and popped in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, opened the foil and spooned sour cream on topped with sliced black olives, placed back in oven to just warm the sour cream. Total for the main dish was approximately $4.20. Add in about $2.00 more dollars for the salad and cantaloupe and dinner was a total of $6.20 and there is actually enough left over for my lunch tomorrow. Not bad, since I am having a little trouble adjusting my cooking to servings of 3. I cooked for so long making everything for 8 because when the boys were home they ate seconds on everything. Then, went down to cooking for 6, when oldest son left home and since I was working would just take left overs with me for lunch. Now, youngest son isn't home anymore so it is just the three of us and I am trying to eat healthy breakfast, light lunch, and then healthier family dinners so the goal is no left overs.

Speaking of eating, thinking of tables, and all these vintage garments running around my head pleading to be made up. I know, long run on fragment of a sentence there. At any rate, while I was going through boxes and bins of fabric and treasures that were packed away, I came across these and had to share.
I saved these from the estate sale we had when moving mom out here. They are just too precious. They are placemats, probably from late 30's or early to mid 40's, I estimate this because according to mom they were pre-married life. My parents married in 1946 not long after dad got home from the war. The flower is appliqued down with the bottom petal left free so the tip of the napkin can pull through to hold it in place. There are embroidered details on the leaves and vines as well. I just love the scalloped yellow edge which is hand stitched. I have eight of them. Mom believes in settings of eight for everything when it comes to the table. Always has.

Tomorrow is the kick off for the women's bible study at our church. Since no longer working, I am so looking forward to getting back to the group. And...big news here...for me anyway...I was asked to run for a position on the women's ministry board. The elections are in September, so will let you know how that turns out. I thought I wanted to try for one position, but after looking over the position descriptions, I am so happy that they needed me for the one they suggested and I really hope I get to be a part of this board.

Thanks for stopping in an visiting my little world today, feel free to leave a comment as it is always nice to know that someone read it.

Good evening.

Well, it is late at night, but good night always sound like I am heading off to bed. Not quite there yet. LOL

Oh my, I have been having such a busy week. Did some shopping over the week end, bought some new patterns and a dress form. JoAnn's was having a big sale, Simplicity patterns were 5 for $5 with a limit of 10, so took daughter in with me and let her by the extras. LOL I also was so lucky to receive an 80% off scratch off spot on my coupon that was on the mailer. I was so surprised at such a large discount, I used it to by my new dress form. I think it will be a huge help to have since I am now sewing for three people. I just hate trying to stand in front of the mirror to judge if something is fitting or not. Have always wanted a dress form, I remember the one my mom used to have years ago. They are much nicer now, easier to adjust the sizing. They were out of the large, which doubt it would have had my fat waist measurement anyway, but the medium size form's range easily adjusts to my bust and waist, as well as all of daughter's measurements. I figure it will be a little bit of incentive...I plan to put some padding on the waist to increase it out and the goal is to reduce it as I reduce mine. That will be a great day when I can decrease the measurement.

When I went to work full time, it became obvious I would not have time to sew. I threw a private pity party and packed away all my machines and fabric. The bins of fabric have been sitting in the garage for a few years, was sure most of it would need to be thrown away as we have had a rat problem. To my surprise and a few "Thank you God" praises sent up, it was all in great shape. I was even elated to find that I had actually saved so much fabric for garment construction. Was sure I had gotten rid of all of it when I gifted out about 10 big black trash bags of fabric when hubby told me to decrease it or loose all of it. At any rate, I have some beautiful pieces that will be just perfect for some of those vintage patterns (re-releases of retro or vintage patterns but at today's sizes) that I have recently bought. I also have been organizing a bit in the sewing room as I took the time to make a master list of each pattern, the size, and brief description. Am actually contemplating scanning each pattern and saving to disc so I can print out my own little catalog to decide what I want to sew with what fabric with out spending hours hunting through everywhere to find it.

I have made menu plans for the next three weeks, have to tweak them a bit tomorrow, but now have a grocery list and will do that shopping tomorrow. This will be a very busy week for us. School starts tomorrow so will be taking daughter off to her first day of high school, women's bible study starts back up at church, a woman's group gathering later in the week as well. Of course football starts as well too and that means that I become a single parent/football widow/woman on her own until after the playoffs around the end of November. I LOVE this time of year, because my time becomes my own while everyone else is doing their thing. Also, this will be my first fall season not working in a long time and I will be able to just putz around in the sewing room after I get laundry going and the evening meal in the works. It also means that I will have some free time to go back to gym on a regular basis. I hope to drop at least two sizes by my birthday, or next summer for sure. My over all goal is three sizes, which I know will take a while, but I got time. Just need to work my butt off, literally as well as figuratively. Now, if it will just turn to fall temperatures, still in high 90's and expecting it to hit 106 mid week, I will be just happy as little clam.

And...I just had to post this photo.

I just love this photo of my new grand son. It almost looks like he is grinning. I wish I could just hold him again. I am hoping to see them at Christmas, but not looking too good at the moment. Will probably be spring or next summer before I get to see him again, he will be walking and running by then.

Well, I am off to soak my achy bones in some lavender water and then off to bed. Have to get up early in the morning and get a kid moving. Thanks for stopping by.

Project Finished

I finished a sewing project. My daughter's skirt and top. As I posted, she picked the fabric and the patterns. I think it took me as long to hand stitch the hem in as it did to make the skirt. LOL She likes it, all smiles, and it fits.


I think it turned out pretty good...or well. I will say, that next time I make the pattern there will be some slight changes. The skirt is Simplicity 2606. Three pleats in front and back with elastic waist and sash in two lengths. Miss J is a bit long waisted and long legged so I cut out the longer length to make sure I had it a decent length. Don't want her starting high school with backside peeking out you know. At any rate, the longer length is actually made to be just mid knee. I ended up putting about a 3 1/2 inch hem in but figured the it would help the hem lay better. Next time I will shorten it when I cut it out and will decrease the size about two inches so it won't be quite so full. The top is Simplicity 2593 and the directions are very wrong in my opinion. I don't like how the bias cut neck band/facing is attached and finished. It leaves the seams raw. The back of the top is a little gappy, not too bad, but I think a little gathering similar to the front would help or maybe decrease the size of it as well.

It had been so long since I had sewn clothing, that I was not sure about the sizing so I went by her bust and waist size. WOW, is the sizing totally off from what she wears ready made. But, I felt it would be much easier to take it up than to try and squeeze her in. LOL I will make it again, I really think a little denim skirt from this pattern would be cute on her. There is a Simplicity sale this coming week end so will probably get her a few more patterns. She is quite interested in my sewing her some clothes now that I have her looking at the style design, not the fabric of the pattern. You know, she would say, "the dress is cute but I don't like little pink flowers." Now she sees the pleats or straight lines. Hope that makes sense.

Now, to make something for me. LOL I am so ready. I know I have some fabric waiting in the plastic bins stacked in the garage, mostly quilting fabric, but there is some larger yardage that I bought for some clothing for myself. Now that I have gotten some vintage patterns, am ready to make something with some of that fabric. There are three pieces in particular that I can already see made up in my mind. Hopefully I can get mine to fit me as well as I managed for Miss J. I barely have my machines going again and my sweet little mom is wanting to hire me to make some things for her. Which I will...just after I make something for me and a quilt for that new grand son.

Speaking of getting the machines going. I found out last night that I am very low on elastic, which makes sense because it isn't used in quilts. I had 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch, a small shank of one inch, but not a piece one of the size I needed, which was 3/4 inch, for the skirt I was making. And, I have looked all over everywhere I stuck things today, I cannot find my bobbins, bodkins, pins, disc I Ito make bobbins and machine needles. No decent cutting scissors either. Guess I will have to get a list of supplies ready for a shopping trip.

Oh, and I did have that left over chicken from last night. Man was it good. Just the right amount of flavor, although the next time I make it will add a little chopped onion as well. Tomorrow will be something in the crock pot. The recipe is called Amish Dinner, the family really likes it, and I like it because it gets in a lot of vegetables with the ground beef. The quilt group at church meets in the morning and I am trying to get a bit more connected with the church so have started back in that group. Although they are not really working on any projects at the moment, I will still go for some fellowship.

Monday school starts back, daughter is so excited. I am glad to see her so happy about school as it was pure hell for me. I wouldn't go back over those years for million dollars. Well, there are a couple of things I would change, but neither of those had to do with school. LOL

Thanks for dropping in, I am off to clean up from a day of sewing, you know putting the pins and iron away, then off to a warm soak in the tub and bed early while it is quiet. I did decide that I would leave the old ironing board out and do a little ironing tomorrow. It is so hot here that I want to get a few of my cooler blouses where I can actually wear them. It is hard to believe that school and football is starting back when the temperature is in the triple digits. I am so ready for it to cool off. Wonder if I will post in winter that I am ready for it to warm up. No...I like the cooler weather. Am also hitting the gym back on a regular basis once school gets started as well, will see how those results come around. Have a good night.

Tomorrow Is The Day?

Tomorrow is the day I will start on dear daughter 13's new skirt and blouse. She has orientation for high school tomorrow so I plan on dropping her off and coming home and cutting, cutting, and cutting. I laugh a little chuckle, my youngest son (now 20 years old) would say this "cutting, cutting, cutting" as he took the pink plastic sign from my steak at a restaurant and use it like a knife to cut his muffin or roll. The place was known for their blueberry muffins they served while you waited for your food. Sorry, getting a little vintage there.

When I went shopping with daughter, Payless is havin a buy one get one half off, so I got a pair of school shoes for me...well hubby thinks they are school shoes anyway. LOL lovely pair of black high heels, satin finish, very vintage looking. Will look lovely with some of the vintage dresses I am planning on making. And that hat that I am going to buy. Funny thing, the hat I found that is stuck in my mind is definitely of a 30's or 40's vintage, as I mentioned earlier was one I saw on Olivia Walton often.
Okay, after doing a little research, the hat I have fallen in obsessive lust over is more like a replica of a 1920's cloche hat like this one. Except the one I found has brown trim. At any rate, will have to make a dress to go with it that is similar styled. No flapper dress, but am thinking early 40's will work. I also came across a great find in my closet. One of my mom's old hats that I some how ended up with...em, took possession of...a while back. A lovely example of 1950 or so as the style is something you would see on Mad Men (which I am totally hooked on now) and my daughter wore it in a vintage fashion show we took place in. Hmm, I will have to find those photos of her and post them as she looked so cute in those vintage styles. At any rate, when I found it, knew that it would it would go with. One of those Vogue vintage patterns that I just bought and found just the right fabric at Hancock's today to make it up. Well, if it is still there when we get paid again. LOL Along those lines, found a wonderful bright blue mock wrap dress out of polished linen that is so 50's styled I just had to purchase it. Best part, it was over half off.


The idiot neighbors have been their drunken, loud, annoying bunch of loud mouths again and thanks to them and all-night-in-to-the-morning-hours of partying (like 3 AM) I am running on about eight hours of total sleep over the past three nights. Things are pretty quiet over there tonight so I am going to try the pain-free PM medicine that I bought again and see if I can actually get some sleep for a change. Have to actually get up early and have daughter at school in the morning for her thing.


Other than that, have been working on the crocheted green-yellow monster that I am struggling with wanting to just frog it all out. But am so close to finishing, although I have no idea what I will do with it when I am.


To end on a very positive note, I actually won something. Angela over at Sew Loquacious, a blog that I really enjoy following lately, ran a rewind contest. We were suppose to post a project that was from, or showed, the 70's. You can read more about it on her blog if you pop over there. I entered a photo of a granny square afghan I made back in the late 70's and my entry won. I can't wait to get my prizes. A sewing book (which will be great for brushing up on some forgotten skills, maybe never had, while doing all this sewing I have planned) and the coolest macrame (or crocheted) white owl with a large plastic ring to hang a towel or rag off of. I actually had one of these in my bedroom growing up that I made as a 4-H project, it was made of jute and macrame, that I hung all my hair ribbons on. SO COOL to have that memory come up and to actually win something.


Also, I can't believe that after spending most of the day taking mom around that I came home and actually got a two week menu plan knocked out. Even have most of third week done, will finish up fourth week and make up the grocery list tomorrow evening as well. After I finish sewing up daughter's school outfit I plan to set a day aside to cook ahead a few things or at least get some prep work out of the way. I planned a certain kind of food for each week so I don't make too much of the same thing. You know, 5 days in a row of ground beef or chicken. Kind of like the 50's lifestyle when mom planned meatloaf every Tuesday or roast every Sunday. Here is my plan.


Meaty Monday - any kind of beef
Tweety Tuesday - chicken
Weirdo Wednesday - what ever isn't beef or chicken
Too Busy Thursday - crock pot as this is quilting day at church
Freebie Friday - clean out fridge since football has started and everyone will be gone
Slow Saturday - again, since football has started will only be daughter and I so slow and easy
Surprise Sunday - surprise being who actually shows up so will fix big family


There is a group of bloggers that all post their menu plans on Mondays and I am going to join in on that. Here is this week's menu.


Monday - Roast, green beans, mashed potatoes - even made a pineapple upside down bundt cake.
Tuesday - Bacon Chicken Rolls, sweet corn casserole, boiled okra
Wednesday - Baked Pork Chops, carrots, cucumber salad
Thursday - Crock pot Amish Dinner, rolls
Friday - Left overs
Saturday - Sandwiches, chips
Sunday - Burgers, chips


Okay, so I spent yesterday watching a marathon of "The Next Food Network Star" and was a little inspired. It is on the Food Network, of course, and was really interesting. Don't think Arrti should of won, I liked Tom better, but no one asked me. Daughter thinks I should enter the next one. Like if I was actually chosen I could leave the family for that many weeks. SOOO very tempting at the moment though. Besides, I don't have the foggiest notion as to what most of those cooking terms even mean. I can cook good food, but ordinary food. I have to have a recipe as well, have no idea what the egg does to the flour or how much of what spice is enough or too much. But I did learn, after watching the show, that I have been pronouncing potatoes gratin wrong all these years. My, do I sound hick when I say it. Do I care? Not at all, I have no illusions of being Julia Child or even Paula Dean (which my accent is closer to) but that is quite fine since my family doesn't eat those styles of food. Well, they would eat Paula's and listening her to talk sure reminds me of home. Especially during one of the challenges when she said one of the cooks was "cuter than a bug's ear". May just have to go back and peruse some of her recipes for even more down home inspiration. I did however find one of my old cookbooks that teaches all kinds of techniques (actually stole it from and ex-boyfriend) and pulled it out so I can maybe practice a different technique once a month...or so.


OH MY GOSH! Just when I thought we were getting a night of reprieve, the neighbors have just started up, at just after ten in the evening, can hear them in the pool and pulling out the glass bottles which causes one of the women to turn in to a really loud cackling hen. You know the laugh I mean. The pool thing? Let's just say that from in here, every time someone jumps in it sounds just like one of those mortar type fireworks going off. Good grief. Meds here I come.


Will post my progress on the sewing tomorrow or the next day. Thanks for stopping in.

I am back home

Well, I am back home. Need to finish up a few projects around the house before I can actually start sewing, but can at least see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

Got to spend a week with the new grand son. That was totally awesome.

He is just pretty great. Long fingers, long toes, and a head full of black hair. Will be interesting to see what color his eyes turn out being. Of course, he will be walking before we see him again unless they can some how come here for Christmas. Praying, but not holding my breath.

And of course, had a great time playing with grandson #1 who is ready to be a big brother. He is just special to be around and I can't wait until next summer when he gets to come spend a few weeks with us.

Okay, now that you know what I have been doing lately. This is what I have planned. After I get the master bedroom finished and a yard sale held that is. Oh my gosh, it is almost time for school to start. I am actually looking forward to getting everything back on some type of schedule. Would like to make some clothes for my youngest daughter, but she doesn't really seem to interested in the idea. We will see. Am heading to a vintage shop this morning. Just to look around a bit. Speaking of vintage, here is the plan, think I mentioned this in an earlier post, but now have photos.

This is some fabric I picked up on clearance and the two patterns I have narrowed it down to making. After reading a few blogs that have made Butterick 4790, I think I am going to go with Butterick 5209. The main reason is because the fabric is a plisae (not sure how you would spell that) or thin with little bumps on it and do not think that it would be suitable for the wrap waist which will have some pull on it. I do however, think it would be perfect for the view made with the cap sleeves. Both of these patterns are current reprints of the original vintage pattern. I am so hooked on the vintage styles of the 40's and 50's. Simple lines that are timeless. I have noticed that several of the current lines from the fashion designers are using the same style elements in their fall lines. My only problem is trying to make patterns fit me. They are made for June Cleaver figures, I have Aunt Bea's. We will see how it turns out.

I took the day yesterday and went through the patterns that I do have, listed them, and was quite pleased with what I found I already had. There is one pattern that has me a bit baffled though. See what you think.



This is the front of McCalls pattern 5915 which I purchased many years ago. It was supposed to be my attempt at what would be called high fashion, probably from the days of Chrystal Carrington or sometime in the 80's I think.





However, after throwing it in the drawer and waiting...well, a while...I pulled it out to find that the images on the back of the envelope do not match at all. The fabric requirements and line drawing views were for a totally different outfit.





This is what I found inside.

Not even the same style skirt. At least it is of a style that I like much better. Can wear better as well. No problem there, can go with the flow as it has the sizes in it I would need. I got the bright idea that I would just google that pattern and find the correct image of one made up. Would print it out and glue it to the front of the envelope. Pretty smart right? Well imagine what I was now thinking when I googled the pattern number and this is the image that comes up for that pattern.

Yep! You got it. An apron pattern? Believe it or not, this is pretty typical of my sewing experiences. And, of course, I still have not idea what the outfit for this pattern looks like.

Well, I am off to the store. I should be working on my bedroom, laundry and such, but I am taking a break and heading out to do some looky louing. I am actually going to check the prices as I have found some vintage prom dresses and am going to open an Etsy shop and list them and some very vintage shoes that are from the 40's to see if I can get a little income coming in. I have a pretty decent stash of fabric and supplies so am planning on making some things up to put in that Etsy shop as well. Am thinking that with Christmas on the horizon that maybe I can sell some baby items, doll items, vintage styled aprons and maybe some quilts. It is a plan anyway.

Good news is that youngest DD is actually online in her room making a list of patterns she likes. OH YEAH! A local craft store has the Simplicity patterns on sale this month for $.99 and I can take the add to another craft store and they will honor it. I have a long list myself. LOL

Thanks for stopping in and feel free to leave a comment. It is always nice to know that someone has read my postings.

Here I Go

Okay, first, I am headed out see my new grand baby arrive. We leave this evening and so you understand a little, my hubby drives this drive (from California to Texas) in one shot, straight through, approximately 20 hours, depends on how much we have to get gas and potty. If my daughter has not delivered by Monday, they will induce early Monday morning, she is to check in to the hospital just after midnight on Sunday. I am so excited, so nervous, so ready for it all to be over. I miss them, my daughter and the oldest grandson, her husband, and hubby's family along with my brother that all live in Texas, but you know how it is when you get in a groove so to speak, I am so ready to finish up the painting and re-arranging around here so I can actually start sewing something.

In preparation for that day, that I get to actually sew, I did a little bit of shopping. I promised myself I would not spend a lot, but JoAnn's is having a sale on Butterick patterns. Anyone seen the price of patterns lately? You can sure understand why I wanted to buy them when I could get them for .99 of course. Yes, $.99, a penny less than a dollar. I loaded up and am so pleased to have some vintage look patterns. Of course these are reprints or new releases of some old patterns, but the style is there. I took some photos of the ones I have narrowed down to being the first project. Of course, I can't find my USB cord for my camera, I downloaded them to the main computer (which is really ill and running slow) in order to email them to my laptop, which doesn't have a card reader slot. I know one thing I will be buying very soon. Couldn't even find my flash drive to move it over with then accidentally deleted the memory card. If it actually shows up, I will post them. Not holding my breath.

At any rate, as I said, I was going to be a very good girl and use up all I have stashed away before buying any more fabric, but, I saw this lovely lavender plesae (not sure how to spell that, kind of a textured fabric) that was on the clearance bin. It has a floral print and just screams "I look like grand ma's Sunday dress" all over it. I checked the end of the bolt, it is a poly cotton blend, which I don't mind, and one pattern calls for 5 yards, another pattern calls for 3 1/2 yards. So...yep, I bought 5 yards. Five yards plus 23 inches which since that was what would have been a remnant they gave me at 50% off. Get this, the fabric was already marked down to $2.00 a yard. So depending on which pattern I use, I will either get a nice dress, or dress plus a blouse for about $12.00 (fabric and pattern) and maybe a zipper. One pattern calls for a side zipper, never done that before, the other doesn't have a zipper (but a recent review of this pattern I read didn't believe that the type of fabric I bought today was stiff enough to hold up to the design pressure of the seams) . I also picked up a piece of pale blue small stripe light cotton fabric, which I shouldn't of because marked down it was still $5 a yard, but it has a lovely blue floral embroidery all over. I really needed three yards for the blouse pattern I had bought, but that was for the longer length and long sleeves. I took what was left, 2.4 yards, so maybe if I go with a shorter length and shorten the sleeves, it will make it. I have some different patterns in my little stash, and have some true vintage patterns coming that bought from Ebay, so may just use one of those tops and pair it up with a denim skirt or capri pant. If you follow my blog, you will soon learn that I am in love with blue. Most any shade of blue. I am just so ready to start on something. A few hours cutting out may just have to be my reward for getting walls painted. Then some sewing time to take a break while rugs dry from shampooing. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Oh, and I also picked up a couple of patterns that I think will be good to make up and sell in my Etsy store when I get it up and going. That is the plan anyway, maybe be able to make a little extra money from making and selling some items. Not sure just yet exactly just what. But is a little dream to hold on to. Maybe I can make cards or such. Heaven knows I have enough to work with laying around this house. Should say stuffed in various areas of storage around this house. It is just making me really anxious to get working on something. I was asked to repair some chair cushions that a dog had gotten a hold of, which I did, but it made me want to sew.

Went to a thrift store a couple of days ago and it was fun for a really short trip. There was no yarn or patterns, but there was a really great looking old sewing machine in a small wooden cabinet that had been painted white. They only wanted $25 for it, no idea what brand or if it even worked, but the cabinet was great. May even go back and check it over a little closer when I get the house all arranged and see if I can find a corner to put it in. LOL I did however not leave empty handed. Saw it, zeroed in on it, snagged the perfect red hat for my mom. She has recently joined the Red Hat Society so she leaves it up to me to dress her for it. Youngest daughter snagged a beret (only kind of hat they can wear in school) and a cute little pair of flats. When we get back, may go in and check over the hats a bit more. I remember my mom wearing all sorts of hats to church, I also have some of those hats that were her's in the 40's and 50's and the one I saw there was a blue, bright blue like a robin's egg. I love blue.

Guess I better get off of here and finish packing up what I need to get together for the trip. Don't want to forget anything, but we are trying to go light this trip. My oldest daughter that we are going to go see lives in the same town we moved here from. She grew up in that town, so I still know where some great thrift shops and antique stores are there.

I will post photos when I get back. Have a great day.

Great Day

Today was a great day. I started out as tired as when I went to bed, sore from all the redecorating and moving things about, then started out on some errands.

I took a large bag of clothes to a consignment shop to try and sell them. They took two shirts. Out of all the name brand clothes which was mostly jeans, they took two shirts. First thing that happened was that out of one pair of jeans fell a baby spider. I mean tiny. I have no idea how that happened, I washed the whole bag of clothes. So, after that dismal start, I went to JoAnn's and hit a marvelous sale. Shadow box photo frames (well all photo frames) were 60% off. I still have each outfit from each of my children's baptism. We are Lutheran so they were all four infant baptism. At any rate, I have for years thought it would be so wonderful to frame each outfit to hang on the wall. Just never really got around to it and honestly, the outfits are stashed away in all different directions. Now that I am going to have a sewing room all for myself, I am determined to hang some of my prizes as art work. The outfits being one, some Dresden plate quilt blocks made by my aunt in the late 30's are another. I have some needle craft projects that I plan to finally finish and hang as well. At any rate, the original price of the frames was actually less than I was anticipating, but seeing the sale sign I just went ahead and bought four of them, one for each child's outfit. Also, found some cute wooden words to paint and hang on the wall that were in the clearance bin for less than a dollar. Of course, I also found the sign that said the Butterick patterns were on sale for $1.99 each. Good thing that since I have been invaded by the sewing bug that most of the patterns were sold out. I can remember in my younger days dumpster diving the fabric stores on days they discontinued the patterns. Only the envelope is sent back, the tissue pattern and directions was tossed. I would come home with huge black trash sacks full of patterns, grab some tea and sit down to go through them picking out what I could use, then tossing all the others. Those were the days. Thinking of the past, last night I was reading over some blog postings regarding vintage sewing. I love looking at what people come up with. They were just awesome. I am envious of these seamstresses that can get those dress patterns for a quarter at garage sales and then make the pattern fit them. I am hopeless at altering a pattern. Realize, back then, women were smaller. Limited under garments tending to make a woman's bust a little differently shaped as well. I am small on top, large waist, large hips and doubt that anyone even visualized some of the plus sizes we have today. While I am not as large as I was, still working on that as well, I am definitely not a size 6 from the 30's or 40's era. Not sure I was ever a size 6. LOL Any way, I took the plunge today and bought a Butterick pattern that is called a "retro" because it is style inspired from 1947, at least I think that is what the 47 means.
I think it just lovely. Nice and cool for summer, a jacket for cooler weather or in my case modesty in church. I just can't stand my bare shoulders being seen. The pattern is such a clean, simple, classy style that I am really excited to have it in the "to do" box. I also can't help but wonder what some of those ladies would have thought of some of today's fabrics. Am even pretty certain just which fabric I will use from my stash as well, just have to make sure there is enough of it. Feel there is since that piece was bought to make pants, skirt, and top and that particular fabric also happens to be 60 inch wide. Thinking ahead to Christmas, I bought a baby boy pattern and plan to make a whole little wardrobe for the new grandson. It will be fun making the clothes and any one that has had children will agree that by the time they are about six months all the gifts from the shower and well wishers will all be too small for the quickly growing baby. All in all, JoAnn's was a great shopping trip.

Next, I went to Walmart. I posted previously about the work we have been doing in youngest daughter's room. I had decided that I would use my Cricut to cut out her name and then attach it to the wall over her closet. That plan changed as we found a better spot to put her name and would make larger letters. I have one font. That font would be wonderful, but thought I would use it as an excuse to add to my cartridges. After all, it was just one and Walmart carries them at a price that is really good. I had the font all picked out, so I thought. As I was standing there, looking over the script styled font to make sure that it was the one I would buy, after all, I was about to spend $40 and could only pick one, I ran in to the lady that works the scrap craft area. She told me that the ones on the other side could be discounted and asked me how many I would buy if she did. I told her it depended on the final price. OH MY GOSH, I came home with 7 cartridges. She had marked them down to $5 each because they were considered out of date. Heck I didn't care about how current they were and ended up with some great cartridges, four of which are fonts, one of which has a princess crown (baby daughter is her daddy's princess you see) and of course will be the choice for the name. I had two Cricuts, gave the smaller one to my oldest daughter who is a teacher. So, at this great price, I figured I would grab a couple of them for her as Christmas gifts. For her I got the Sports Mania (all kinds of sports shapes and words - good for her bulletin board and the scrapbook she is making for oldest son and will make for the son due this month) and Opposites Attract (a font that looks like cursive writing). For myself, I bought fonts called Jubilee, Alphalicious, Opposites Attract (had to keep one for me too) and Calligraphy along with another one named Graphically Speaking which has all kinds of great shapes not to mention the great butterfly. Since I was still $5 ahead of what I had planned to spend, I bought some extra blades. Wish I could have gotten the tool kit on sale. LOL

Oh yeah, and at Sam's Club I came across this package of Rum Fruit Punch, already has the rum in it and a little spicket on the package. It is a bit strong, but taste wonderful. I know, it really isn't as strong as I think, when it comes to alcohol I am a total lightweight.