Thursday, February 25, 2010

Thank Heaven for Little Girls

I soooo love my grandsons as much as my grandaughters, but when it comes to sewing, I have to admit sewing for little girls and little girl babies is a passion of mine. I have 3 grandsons and 6 grandaughters.
Number 7 girl is due any day.  I don't know if Grandma's are supposed to have the nesting instinct like Mom's, but I think that was what I was experiencing when I got up this morning.
I just had to take a break from some home dec sewing I have been doing for 2 clients to do some soft sweet little girls sewing.
A couple of weeks ago, I had gone to my favorite quilt store and picked out these, not knowing yet what I would make. I also got some brighter larger prints too, but there is something about baby girl that just says soft pink and green.

I made a burp cloth which I designed quite a long time ago, so it went quick. Then I made a bib by just drawing it on typing paper. You can't really tell here, but it started out scalloped, and lost a little of the scallop when I sewed the piping on. I'm gonna have to work on that one. The shoes are a pattern. I first saw them here and asked her if she would share where she got the pattern and she did.
I tried making my own pattern an even tried a couple more I bought elsewhere, but I love this one the best. The top is just cut with pinking shears, and I thought I would have to finish off that raw edge, but you know what, it is so soft and sweet that I love it with the pinked edge.

This picture and the next one show a little more detail on the shoes. I am going to be making more of these. After I played around with "changing" them and "improving" them, and got back to just following the pattern, they went together so quickly.

As I was taking these pictures, I realized, that I take a lot of my pictures in this room because it gets the best light of any place in my house.  Besides it has hooks I can hang things on and places to lay things out.  So one day soon I am going to give you a tour of this room. It really is cute. It is called by my grandkids, the "Play Room" or the "Girl's Room." You'll see why when I show it all to you.
No time now though....babysitting duties tonight.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

A New Friend

The best part of blogging is all of the nice women I have met and read about.  So many kind, supportative, generous people who share a common bond of one kind or another.
Amber found my blog when I first started blogging and  like I do with all those who visit me, I went to her blog, A Little Bit Biased.  She is a quilter and I found I really enjoyed her posts. I think she got my heart because she is a young Mom with two little ones and she still finds time for her love of quilting. She works in a quilt store too.
Now she has published her own patterns. Her first three are available in her Etsy store.(There is a link on her blog)  She is having three giveaways in the next three weeks. I hope to win one of her patterns, but I will be purchasing one anyway. I loved all three, but think I will start with "Sugar and Spice"
I put her button on my sidebar,(It is Gigi's Thimble) just click it and it will take you to her blog and giveaway.
There is more I could tell you about her, but click and go find out for your self about this talented young woman.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Party Time

I think it was back in the fall when I posted some pictures that had cloches in them that Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life asked me to join one of her Cloche Parties. I think I missed the next one but have been looking forward to this one.
I started collecting cloches several years ago before I even knew there was a name for them. I still can't resist one if it is shaped or sized differently from the ones I have.
Here are a few of mine.

 I set up these on my sideboard for part of my Valentine's Day decorations.
At Easter and Christmas when we have family gatherings, I have this table filled with real desserts, not all under cloches, though so they are easily available to all the little hungry hands.


This next one was on my Valentines tablescape post, but thought I would include it here too.


I have been trying to clean and get my house back to "normal" after two holiday decorating opportunities. This little table sits by my fireplace in the dining area with a chair next to it where I like to curl up and read, especially when we are "allowed" to use the fireplace. (That is a Bakersfield thing you really don't want me to get started on.)

The next on usually  sits on my fireplace, but since it is covered with my collection of white pitchers (Yesterday, I actually found 2 more to add, tucked away in a cabinet.)
I put it on my coffee table for now as I am trying to do a Spring thing until I decorate for Easter. Now if Spring would just come outdoors as well.



This last one usually sits on an end table with just a large candle, but just cannot find that candle. It is skinny and really doesn't fit over much, so I just found something so I could show the cloche. I really love the way the design in the tile shows through it.
Please visit A Stroll Thru Life. She has a great collection and visit others that have linked to her Cloche Party.
         

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

My Bliss

My pocket Webster lists "bliss" as complete happiness, or joy.  I wasn't even aware of this word until a couple of years ago.  I hesitate to use it because I think it is a little overused, but just couldn't think of another word to describe what spending so much time sewing means to me. There are so many other things in my life that bring me happiness and joy. Those things being my Lord, my husband, my family and friends, cooking, cleaning (yes, that's what I said), gardening and decorating to name a few, but sewing rates way up there near the top. This week I was blessed to be able to sew more than usual and  I was rewarded greatly by my granddaughter when I made her this robe for her birthday and made one for her American Doll to match.  She loves it and doesn't want to take it off.


It is made from Minkee fabric an a coordinating fabric. It is so soft and cozy without being heavy.
All of my grandkids have Minkee pillowcases I have made for them and love the way it feels.

I also did another model for my favorite quilt store.

Isn't it cute? You can find the pattern here:
and....I made 3 more of these (18 total now, not counting the four I made for the granddaughters for Christmas)


Friday, I will finish Roman Shades for my friend Gail @ mailto:www.victorian@heart.blogspot.com I have made her Dining room and Living room drapes and Roman Shades for the
Dining Room also. When I get the shades done for the living room I will be taking pictures to show here. She designs them, finds the fabric and I sew them. We make a good team.
What I know is that if I spend some time following my "bliss" each week,  the rest of the things I do seem to fall into place and I am a much happier woman.


Sunday, February 14, 2010

Going Steady

Now, it will take a certain age group of you to know what "Going Steady" means because the kids have not used this expression for many years.
This is the story of my husband and I from the time we met for the first time until we met and fell in love many years later. Bare with me as there is more story than pictures.
My family and I moved to California from Illinois in a Ford pick-up pulling a trailer that we lived in, (not mobile home) when I was 10 years old. I was in 4th grade and although we moved alot, I still never liked starting a school in the middle of the year.  This was my lucky year though.  My future husband was in my class. We also were in the same class in 5th grade and then 6th grade. 
You'd never know it to look at me now, but I was always pretty good in sports all the way through high school.  Dennis (future hubby) was very athletic and competive also. He started picking me to be his partner in 4-square. I know, that dates me too. Do kids even play 4-square anymore? Anyway, we became 4-square champs and that started what our teacher called "boy-girl stuff".
On Valentines Day, 1958, Dennis asked me to "Go Steady" with him and gave me a necklace with a heart on it.


It had a different chain which later broke, but we went steady until the last day of school. He broke up with me because my family and I were moving to Utah for the summer. I gave him back my beautiful necklace.
I wish I could find the picture of our 6th grade "last day of school party". We were quite the pair. Dennis was a full head shorter than I was(he is now over 6ft)....had a flat top, duck tail, collar turned up and levis with the cuffs rolled up. I had curly black hair down to my waist and always in a dress my mom had made.
If you ask him today why he asked me to go steady, he will say it is because I was the biggest (tallest) girl in school and I was a good 4-square player.
We moved back from Utah in October of that year and I went to a different Jr. HS and HS than Dennis did. I alway knew where he was though, because he played 3 sports and was in the sports page often with stories of his successes as quarterback (usually pictured with a cheerleader) and homerun hitter, etc.
There was surely no reason for him to know where I was though, but at the beginning of our 2nd semester at Jr. College....Feb. 1966, I believe God put him literally in my path. We almost knocked each other down walking to  classes.  I went to my apt. that night and told my roommate "I met the man I am going to marry today" I don't know how I knew that, but I did and I told her the story of our childhood "romance".
Shortly after that, I had a friend who was dating a friend of his set up a blind date.  We had fun and I knew what I wanted.  He asked me to go out with him on Valentines and when he picked me up, he gave me a box with the same heart that I had given back to him, which was now on a charm bracelet.  We went to Hollywood Pantages Theater and saw the premier of "My Fair Lady"
As they say "The rest is history" We were again "Going Steady" and  on Valentines Day 1967, he took me to Hollywood again to see "Hawaii" At dinner afterwards he asked me to marry him and gave me a box, this time with an engagement ring in it.  We were married in June, 1968.
A few weeks ago, as I was cleaning out some drawers, I found my precious litte heart and wanted to show it to my grandkids and tell them this story. Putting it in words here helped my thoughts and I will have it for them to read now too.
As we celebrated Valentine's Day today with Church, lunch and  just our everyday stuff, I have to say
"He still takes my breath away" as he did so many years ago.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Valentine's Day Tablescape

     One of the the first blogs I visited regularly before I even had my own was Between Naps on the Porch. I love her posts, her home and the many other homes she shares. But my favorite post is every Thursday. She does Tablescape Thursday. Often it is her own, but she also shares others too.
I usually do a centerpiece for each holiday, but don't always put on the place settings because I have grandkids here so often, but I got in the mood when I did my candy counter and I had all the "stuff" so here goes.


I just love this little girl. I bought her a few years ago and she's always a part of my display somewhere for Valentines Day.


I only set 4 place settings because I only had 4 each of the white dishes. I just found them at Home goods a few weeks ago for 14.99.  I think they were called Basketweave by Gibson.

This is a sweet little milk glass candy dish. I have a collection of different ones, but this is my favorite. I bought it in Sacramento on a fun trip with my friend Gail @ Victorian at Heart.


I saved the best for last, although it isn't the best picture. I wanted the monogram to show, but you can barely make it out.  We received 8 of these for a wedding gift in 1968. I still have all 8 in perfect condition. We've never used them much, but they have probably been moved over 20 times. They are an odd size, not big enough for a water and too big to be considered a juice glass, but because it's for Valentine's Day and they have both our initials, I set my table with them.

B P D

Speaking of sentimental...I am saving the most sentimental of posts for Sunday night. I have only 2 pictures, but a very romantic story to tell. 
Happy Valentines Day

Thursday, February 4, 2010

"Sweet Thing"

Have you heard the song by Keith Urban called "Sweet Thing"?  It keeps going through my head so it seemed appropriate for today.  Only I have 2 "Sweet Things" to share. Remember a few days ago, I mentioned I had some exciting news to share.  That's my first "Sweet Thing"

Back before Christmas, I made purses similar to these for 4 of my granddaughters. My friend Suzanne from Notes from the Patch encouraged and helped me make a pattern for them.  Some time ago, I had shared I wanted to design clothing  and make them from Vintage Linens.  Haven't gotten there yet, but with help from Suzanne and her staff, I now have my first pattern.

I haven't shared until today, because, I guess I still thought it was too good to be true.  Suzanne, owns Strawberry Patches, a beautiful quilt store here in Bakersfield. She was a vender at a large quilt show last weekend and she took my pattern and some of the purses to test "the market" for them. Guess what? They sold....both the purses and the pattern.  I cannot tell you how exciting that is.  Without her encouragement, I would not have attempted this on my own.  She now sells the pattern on her website too. I am just on cloud nine right now.

Okay, enough of that. I think I also promised another "Sweet Thing"  In both my current home and the one before, I had an area built (my son and husband built my cabinets...a post for another time) for my cookbooks and to be used as a baking area.  As the grandkids came along (9 almost 10 now) I started doing little displays for each holiday with Candy Jars, etc.  So, my baking area became my
Candy Counter

I love this little Dept. 56 "Chapel of Love" I found a few years ago on a clearance table for 1/2 price.
The little couple met with a terrible accident this year. After an encounter with a piece of granite they both broke their necks, but I think they look well and happy now on their way to be married at the chapel.
There you are...My Candy Counter.
I have to tell you, after putting Christmas away, I really was thinking about skipping Valentines Day and said as much in front of some of the kids.  My Lexi, with her great big blue eyes, said "Awwww... Maaamaaaaw, why not"  Well there you are....My Candy Counter,