Like that little train, I can do it!

For one moment I will dwell in nirvana, I have figured out how to put pictures in the postings of my blog. Of course, my new online friend Tara is already telling me that there are easier ways, what should I expect from a digital native? :)

I could say I prefer to remain in ignorant bliss, but the truth is it's really frustrating not to be able to navigate around and do what I think I should be able to do. Where are my kids when I need them? Away at school, hopefully getting the education that will allow them to make enough money to keep me in the style I'd like to become accustomed to in my older age (longtime standing family line...). Red will be home this summer which means I will finally have the time to teach her to sew, and she will explain this stuff to me, hopefully without rolling her eyes and trying to pretend I'm not acting as dumb as I seem.

Thursday my package will go into the mail, and when I get my email response, I will be able to put photos up of what I made, and be cool like some of the other participants.

Life is good....live long and prosper.

oh, wow, oh, wow

Something new I've just discovered: Giveaways. Amazing, people offer up their stuff for various reasons to help with marketing. Well, anything to help an entrepreneurial homecrafter. So, since I don't know how to link other people's sites, go visit the polka dot barn blogspot, because I want to win the really cool apron she's offering!

more to come later, as the L-man says, "love ya, see ya, bye!"

ok, Jan told me what to do, let's see if it works, her link is:
www.polkadotbarn.blogspot.com

(am I cool or what?)

Late, late Monday night

It's actually Tuesday morning. But I'm having a cup of tea before I go off to bed. I finished my swap apron. I still need to give it a good going over to clip threads, basting, etc, but for all intents and purposes, it's finished. And, if I say so myself, it is pretty damn cute. I won't post any pictures of the finished apron until I'm notified my partner has received it. When I bring the camera up tomorrow I'll post the interim shots-fabric pile, cut outs, etc.

Talked to the doctor today. I have more tests scheduled for Monday. I hope this is the end of it. But, for once I am not eating my stress-amazing.

Had a nice email exchange at work this morning with Tela in NYC, rambling on about the weekend and beautiful morning we had yesterday to have the top down on the car. I guess she didn't realize what I was talking about because she asked who/what is Miss Lucy. I fear for these next generations, where is their imagination? they don't name their cars, the toys they play with come in "sets", not pieces you have to build your own stuff with (Levi and the legos, another story another day), they may have amazing manual dexterity from texting and computer games, etc....but they can't write cursive; a lot of them can't write a complete sentence let alone speak in complete sentences.

I'm tired, I'm going to bed.

Sunday, sunny morning

LuLu kept waking me up last night but didn't want to go outside once I got to the kitchen, I think she just wanted to stick her nose outside and get a doggie cookie when she came back from the doorway. I wonder if I should count all those trips from the bedroom to the back door as activity for WW?

We finally motivated about noon to go to the store. Fortunately it was a short trip because we didn't need that much, but it was a great ride because the sun was out and we put the top down. I tried to convince Lou to find a nursery far, far away to ride to looking for pachysandra but he wasn't into it. Instead, once the groceries were put away and lunch finished, I threw in some laundry and started the actual sewing of my swap partner's apron. I could echo Tara, who made mine, "I'm not sure I want to give it away". The tablecloth part is coming out really pretty and the flip side-the kitschy 50s side-even better. Lillian says to make sure and take a lot of pictures. I'm taking them, but I have no idea how to put them into these musings. KS said she'd help me, but she's really busy with schoolwork that has to get done. so, maybe I'll try and figure out on my own. I want to go down and do some more work on it, but I'm feeling a little guilty that I was downstairs basically all day today.

Another Saturday night.....

Lou just went to bed, I think his acupuncture treatment really put him into his "happy place" and that he needs to sleep it off. That's okay because I am busy with my swap work. I have decided to combine aspects of two '50s style aprons for my partner. I have everything cut out and will sew tomorrow. I decided to make a reversible apron that meets the swap requirements on one side and meets my requirements on the other....I hope she likes it! I do have to thank her (I think) for one thing: I now have orange material in my stash. Who would have ever thought?

I used a tablecloth from Aunt Dorth's that I had wrapped glassware in to bring back from Cleveland. It's oblong and doesn't fit the table here, and it's nice cross stitch. It is only one color, looking at the other linens I have from the family I realize we are a monochromatic bunch. Most of the table linens are one color embroidery. It isn't one of my partner's colors of choice, but the flip side will be. I may add some rick rack to the tablecloth side, I'll have to see it made up to make the decision. Louie thinks I'm obsessing about this-he's probably right, that's my usual pattern.

The doctor finally called late yesterday afternoon with minimal information. He was in Germantown and my file is in his Rockville office. The minimal news is that I'm headed for more tests, so it looks like I'd better get my butt in gear and get this swap apron finished tomorrow. The other parts of the package are ready, I just need to find some nice recipe cards to write out the vintage recipe. I'm not sure if I'll send the busy day cake or Aunt Ethel's relish recipe..another decision put off until tomorrow.

I'm off to watch a movie.

SUPER day

So, I call the doctor's office and he's in surgery all day so I won't know anything until late tonight or tomorrow. Do I wallow in stress pity? It seemed like a pretty good idea.

and then..(trumpet intro, here) I received my swap partner's stuff! I'd read last night that Tara had already mailed hers and Shawnee asked the rest of us wait until 4/1, but I have to say it couldn't have come on a better day. I debated about 2 seconds whether to save or open it. And if its coming wasn't enough, everything in it is so cool! I have a beautiful REVERSIBLE apron, a copy of (apron-ology), handmade soaps and lip balm, towels, a sachet.....life is definitely good!!

Getting this today has really pepped me up, I feel positive I made the right choices for my partner...if fact, I promised Lou I would do the bills before I started sewing, so I am going to write them out right away so I can get my pieces cut out and start sewing.

After the package is off, I will finish Lilli's blouses and organize the other UFOs (unfinished objects/projects) that need to be finished. Of course, that doesn't mean new projects won't get started...but isn't that the bane of existence for a crafter?

Hump Day

It's hard to believe it's Wednesday night already. The doctor did not call my cell phone with the test results, he left a message for me to call his office on the home phone....how stupid is that?

I found some fantastic material for my swap partner. I will be making a vintage style apron. I do have some vintage add-ins so I think I'm following along without a problem. If she doesn't like it, oh well....

Lillian is getting bogged down at the Conference. A really different schedule, food, sleeping arrangements-it's tough on her. Her father was the same way when he had to go to meetings; all worn out by midweek and ready to go home. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

We're searching for just the right lego set for Levi's birthday. I'm not sure what style he wants. When the girls were little, we just bought the bin and they made their own stuff. Now, the local Toys R Us had 4 aisles of different modes: Star Wars, City, Agents, etc. Its sort of like when we were little we had one Barbie and we learned to sew making clothes for her. Now, everything has a separate Barbie, although Safeway should be ashamed of itself for selling an Easter Barbie and she doesn't even have a hat. I mean, what's Easter without an Easter bonnet?

I got some really cool patterns when I was at G Street today. I'm thinking I want to make some aprons up for Donna, Kathleen, Debbie and a few others. Maybe get a stock together for next fall's bazaar circuit.