It's Today, It's Today!

Yes today is indeed the day. The day my little one turns 5. Her father pointed out that means she's been around for half a decade; of course he said this before any morning caffeine.

Last night I needed a project to put my newly repaired - but as yet still not fixed sewing machine - through so I made another dressing gown. I love these, they go so easy and the gussets are so much easier than gathers. It's of course for the birthday girl. The photo was supposed to have her in it, but she was in such a hurry to get dressed this morning, you'll have to settle.

Then DH, my newly 5 year old little girl, her aunt, and uncles and off they went to see Toy Story 3, I stayed home and basted that Christmas Row Robin. Surely that must be against some sort of Quilter’s Code staying home to baste a quilt, after all I've had the supplies for a long while now. But it was more restful this way and hopefully it will mean (regardless of my spur of the moment quilting choice) I'll have plenty of energy for our little party this afternoon.

Speaking of parties check out the cake I baked. It's Funfetti inside and whipped frosting on the outside. I was able to find the Wilton butterfly pan at Michael's and use a Joann's coupon so the pan was only $7.80 after tax. The sprinkles are mostly all sugar, which are DD's favorite with some palm tree sprinkles on the leading edge of the wings just in case you weren't certain it's hot here.

Now while I was writing to you I realized it's been a while since you've seen Lady Bird, the same cannot be said for us. We've been seeing her nearly everyday and often more than once. DH had to clean out the feeder due to a wasp invasion, which caused Lady Bird some trouble for about a day (no seed in the bottom to eat) but as she seems terrified of wasps I'm certain we've been forgiven the inconvenience.

Let them Eat!

I know how to clean foam shoes! The foam shoes you can pick up just about anywhere are great. They look nice, they feel okay and if you're exceptional your feet never stink. If you're like the rest of us you know better. After a month or more those wonderful comfy shoes begin to show wear. They clean off okay at first but eventually you're looking at those shoes thinking okay it's time to go to Walmart for another pair. But they still fit and you're not really ready to shell out more cash even if they are inexpensive.

Here's the answer. Simply wet the shoes as you normally would to rinse them off. Now apply a bit of hand soap or dish soap (they seem to work equally well) rub the soap over the shoe but don't create a lather, instead merely lubricate the shoe. Now using a Magic Eraser rub those wear spots, rub any discolored area and you will find in just a minute or two they are back to looking good again. Allow to dry and you're good to go. I hope you enjoyed the tip.

April is here and I'm glad to see it. My passion vines are covered in caterpillars and I'm thrilled about it. Back when the vine was in a pot it was a constant battle with these little bugs, but at the advice of a good friend I planted the plant in the ground and now the passion vine and the caterpillars have a nice co-relationship going on. The caterpillars will turn into Gulf Frivolities, which are a joy and a wonder to have around so we let them be. Number like these you see will soon have my hard filled with butterflies. Personally I'm amazed with as many caterpillars nearly ready to cocoon as there are that you can't see any damage to the passion vine, (except close up like this) I suppose it just goes to show nature knows best.

My nun orchids also known as Phaius tankervilliae are in full bloom now. I attempted pollination today. I'll let you know how that goes as any viable pods will be donated to Meyer's Conservatory, and of course they sell flasks so those will be available to anyone interested. I'll pass word along as I recieve it.

While outside Jessica noticed a little ladybug. I just love her hand pointing to it. You can click on the photo to see it bigger if you can't see the ladybug. This particular lady is more orange than red. I like the look of her little hand in the photo. (and those dirty foam shoes, oh well they're clean now!)

Every single girl getaway I go on without my husband I break the camera. As a family we're on camera number three. I figure that makes this as good a time as any to figure out some of the extra doodads and other features. This frame reminded me of the movie insignia and I couldn't help but to frame it in with Sunny in the middle. Who knows if I keep at it maybe next time I can catch him in a yawn!

From all of us to each one of you get out and enjoy the beauty of the moment and have a great weekend.

What do you see?

Here we have Chains... What do you see? Do you see scraps of fabric strung together or do you see the beauty of the blocks they will become? I was working on the rosebud blocks chaining them all together, when I discovered what a pretty pile I had in my lap.

The pants are done. I washed the stabilizer out and added some sequins, I think in spite of my struggles they turned out nicely. Remember I didn't make the pants. I just fixed them with the new embroidery, the embroidery you see on the front leg is original. Do you see the front pocket detail? I'm very pleased with that, I took out the chain o' sequins, and replaced them with beading. The sequins I then used on the back detail.


As an extra I have included my most recent bib, which is sort of a "reclaim" project. Together with the "backs" of the ones I'd made before.

Hello Dears,

I have so many things to share today.

I went shopping yesterday, and spent way to much. Don't you hate that? I went out for toilet paper, rubbing alcohol, and laundry soap. Silly Target, have you seen the new Archer Farms products they are selling at the Super Targets? These are the cutest little bottles and jars. They even have a bulk candy isle, it's gourmet meets down home, homemade stuff. I picked up their basil and creamy pesto, which was okay, certainly not all the jar implied it might be, and I am waiting to try the lovely spinach and artichoke dip I bought as well.

I also went to Joann's because their polka dot fabrics were on sale 1.99 a yard! I picked up these lovely beauties. I also got 4 yards of white on white for a fat quarter swap I'm joining in on, but no photos of those for you, because there is no way it will show up in the photos. Somehow I've committed fixing my sister's denim butterfly jeans so I also bought all those applique bits and pieces that you see above.
The lady who made the labels for Jessica's heart quilts thought of me when she found a box of little girl fabric in a garage sale, so she mailed it all to me. In amidst the fabric I found these little pieces. It screamed "I'm a little girl's dress!" so I just had to try and put it together after all these years. I've been chatting it over with the ladies at the quilting board and we think it is about 40 years old. So far I have the collar of the dress done and it's waiting for me to wrap up the super puffy sleeves. I found the fabric very hard to gather (I tried four times in the sewing machine having to rip it out each time). So I'm hand stitching it to pull up the gathers. Not the most joyous job, but hopefully it will be something nice I can set aside as my hard work and hey no pattern, what you see above is all I had to work with.

So my loving husband brought home some ribbon for me to trim the bottom of the sleeves out with, he brought me pink and white. The pink doesn't match so well, so I just had to be inspired and started working on some pj's for me. My inspiration is the new movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 that my sister and I went to see day before yesterday. In it Alexis Bledel wears a lovely white night dress. While mine will not be the same I have gone to great lengths to add the decorative stitches. I doubt you can tell from this photo (that makes them look like pot holders instead of the bodice) but I sewed it a little wrong and have been seam ripping a bit while I've been working.

DD loves playing with my sewing machine, so we've sort of been looking for a kiddie machine, my husband suggested until she's bigger it would be best to let her run one without the needle, I thought the idea was brilliant, so ever since the night I looked up little kids sewing machines, I've sort of been shopping for a new one for me. After when my little Elna needs maintenance it will be the end of her. With the aluminum casting bent there is no way to open it, or so we figure. I'm certain time will tell.

That's all I have to share at the moment, how about you?