New Toys and YouTubing

I love getting packages in the mail... although DH will roll his eyes at that and say "Yeah, WAY too much!" 

This year I was the recipient of several gift certificates of larger denominations, two for Amazon and one for JoAnn's.  I took the opportunity to stock up on books (for the decade or maybe the millennium) and also picked up some craft supplies.

I have always done paper crafts, and have been a good customer to both Stampin Up and the stamp and paper sections at my local big box chains.  By the time Miss E and Miss A were each three years old they were veteran Michaels shoppers.  In fact Miss E had DH convinced she could read at three because she would say "oh, we're at Michaels" as soon as we pulled up to the store!

Because things come from various vendors when purchased at Amazon, I got packages on January 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, etc.  I got buttons and knitting needles of the bamboo variety and a package of thread and sewing machine needles. 

I got books

And a paper cutting machine:

Dang!  I've rotated that picture about six times, it's still sideways!

 

I am not an employee of any of these companies and have not been paid to comment on any of the products.

 

I dutifully read the directions on the cutting machine, and immediately realized that while I would be able to do some things on it (like emboss paper) with what I had, the other operations I wanted to perform required other accessories.  Purchased separately.  Of course.

 

Lucky me, I had money left on the gift cards...

 

I got some generic designs of embossing folders, like wood grain and little hearts, at my local JoAnns.  I found a few cutting blocks on clearance at Michaels.  Then I settled in to watch some YouTube videos from both the Sizzix company and some independent posters.

 

I found that I don't have patience with some of the video personalities.  There is one woman who loves to spend time laughing over the things she says, as in "I'm SO funny, you must be laughing too so I'll give you a few minutes to catch your breath".  And there are some people who don't have a clear idea what they want to say when they start filming so there's a lot of ums and uhs, and others who say things like "ooops, let me try that again" or they just plain leave things out.

 

But after watching about an hour and a half's worth of videos, I think I know what other parts and pieces I need in order to complete my 'kit'. 

 

And thankfully, someone in one of them said "it makes a cracking sound and THAT'S OK"... because that cracking sound made me very, very nervous!  And I learned about shims and what the difference is between those various pads you can buy.  And why I will buy them!

 

Miss A and I did spend some time embossing some card stock on Sunday afternoon.  It was fun, even with our limited number of folders.  Then we spent some more time cutting out some film strip shapes which she promptly took home with her for her own project, leaving me to sweep up all the little bits that came out of the punched out holes.  I can't wait to see what she does with the cutouts.

 

Craft on!

 

 

 

Happy New Year!!



And Christmas just continues on, here in Southeastern Wisconsin we finally got some measureable snow... our first real storm this year was the Monday after Christmas.  Miss A could hardly wait to get out into it... here's the happiest person in Wisconsin on December 27, 2015:

 

 

And here's the reality of Wisconsin on January 7, 2016:

 

 

The snow is already gray in places and black in others!  Ugh!  Winter...

 

Normally when I think of Christmas gifts my mind goes right to kids.  The years before the grands came, the holiday was kind of boring for DH and me.  The challenge was always what kind of gift to give my adult kids or the hubster that would enliven an otherwise quiet celebration. 

 

And gifts from the office?  Ha ha!  Either non-existant, or odd.  One year we did a Secret Santa exchange, and my SS turned out to be the creepy guy who was later discovered to be a stalker to some of the younger ladies -- but that's a whole other story!  And my previous boss used to show up with a box of Frango mints. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Frango mints, but seriously?  For a year's worth of awesome service??  And EVERY SINGLE YEAR??  No kidding, I worked for the guy for 17 years and every year it was the SAME THING...  No imagination I guess.  Or maybe he was Ebeneezer's descendent.  :-(

 

This year I got some nice Christmas presents that just keep on giving.  My current boss (or more precisely ONE of my current bosses) gave me a BIG Amazon gift card.  Big enough that there's still some left after several purchases!  Plus he sent me a lovely flower arrangement in Mid-December...

 

I got some books that I've been lusting after -- Sue Grafton's latest, called X, the new Anne Perry William Monk novel, and several used books including the Anne Perry Thomas Pitt book I missed when I read the series out of sequence!

 

I got a kids learn to crochet book because Miss A wants to learn that.  And I picked up books by Sara Paretsky and Reed Farrell Coleman to add to the pile.  But my favorite is the latest Louise Penny Inspector Gamache novel, The Nature of the Beast.

 

Additional finds (not from Amazon) included two Bonnie Hunter books and the compilation of the first ten 100 Blocks magazines, made into one massively heavy volume called, interestingly enough, 1,000 Blocks.  As in quilt blocks.  I had missed a couple of the volumes so I got the whole magilla now:

 

 

Last but not least, I got a GC for Joann's and with free shipping during the new years' sales, I got myself a Sizzix cutter!  I'm still reading up on how to use this and watching copious YouTube videos from the company but it looks like fun.   

 

 



I'll let you know if the fun continues!!

 

Craft on... Read on... and Happy New Year... 

You Can Get Your Heart Broken, or Maybe Bent a Bit

I have posted about my girlfriends many times.  I think I'm a friendly, generous person most of the time.  I try to be a loyal friend, and I value those friends who return the sentiment.  My true friends are my treasures.  YOU know who you are...

Which is why the thing as it transpired hurt.

A while back a former coworker and I discovered mutual interests.  She was a tentative sewist and wanted help.  She asked for help and I said sure.  Why not?  Shared interests create bonds and it seemed natural.

She made jewelry too.  She wanted to sell her handiwork and was not having much luck doing it on consignment.  I was doing craft fairs with my doll clothes.  We decided that we'd go into a couple of craft fairs because we could split the cost and share a booth.

She saw that I was selling things and she was not.  She abandoned her beads and took up doll clothes, except that she wasn't experienced with the actual sewing of the actual doll clothes.  She asked me to help her.  Of course my 'no' is broken...  I helped.  She learned, I was pleased!

We came up with a plan to split the work, and coordinate our items to better market them together. 

She said you make this, I'll make that. I made my 'this', she made 'thises' too.  She didn't stick to the plan.  <sigh>  OK, let's revise the plan - we need to have things that go together.  How can I sell 'thises' without 'thats'?

She said no, no, I get it, I'll stick to the plan.  But she made a whole lot of things we never planned and didn't do the stuff we did.  She barreled ahead and the plan was left in the rear view mirror.

She got pretty aggressive pushing her own stuff and sort of half way discouraging customers from looking at mine.  When I called her on it, she actually suggested that we could go into separate craft fairs.  AND she'd take the one I had originally done so well at.  Then she realized what she'd said and apologized. 

I felt a bit betrayed.  I understand competition, but we were supposed to be partners.  I didn't like how it made me feel, thinking that she was plotting on how to beat me at every turn.  I tried to be big about it.  Mostly I grumbled to my hubby... who was SO sympathetic.  Not!

We did one last craft fair together because we committed to it.  Then I started looking for other avenues to sell my stuff.  She did one of those free list sites.  I went the doll store route.

In the fall I heard from someone that she was continuing the craft fairs alone.   Evidently not selling up to expectations either.

I am not sorry I shared my knowledge because one of my joys is helping people learn to love sewing.  But it doesn't alter the facts and it still hurts a little.  Will I stop helping people? No.  But will I throw myself all in again?  Maybe not so much.

After the doll store fiasco I considered going back to that first craft fair, because there was still time.  But I found out she'd doing that fair, with DOLL CLOTHES.

I saw her recently.  She asked about my sewing and she said "Too bad about the store. I think I'm going to sell out all my doll clothes and go back to what I was originally doing."

Huh. Oh, and you're welcome.

:-(

Keeping Secrets

It's hard to keep secrets from some people, especially this time of year.

As a famous man once was quoted...

and when you live in close proximity to Miss A, there's no chance.  

 

 

Yesterday I finished up the holiday shopping, I think.  Then I schlepped it all upstairs to the bedroom and started the wrapping.

 

 

 

 

And wrapped.

And wrapped.

And... ugh.  I ran out of boxes.  I recycle boxes from one year to the next.  People take their gifts home in large bags and leave the boxes for next year.

Some of my boxes are approaching or have exceeded their expiration dates.

Tape.  Lots of tape.  Lots and LOTS of tape!

Although I'm now down to two opened rolls of wrapping paper, so that's a plus.  I have a bunch with the cellophane wrappers on them, but I'm leaving them for next year.  You have to use the stuff you have open before  you open new stuff, right?

 

So now all I have to do is keep Miss A out of the room with the computer until Thursday...

 

 

 

Keep calm and wrap on...

Finding Treasures

My cousins and aunties and I recently went to the Columbus Antique Mall in Columbus Wisconsin for a day of treasure hunting.

Columbus Antique Mall

*Wisconsin's Largest Antique Mall* "Where dealers shop for their merchandise."

Over 78,000 square feet of antiques displayed and sold by 222 of Wisconsin's finest dealers in 444 booths in 18 rooms.

Enter Everyday  8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Shop In Air Conditioned Comfort

Broad Range of Antiques, Collectibles, Glassware Pottery, China, Used Books, and Vintage Decorating Peruse our 3rd floor of furniture. Enjoy Snacks & Beverages in our World's Fair Lounge/Mall Cash/Check Only and No Credit/Debit 239 Whitney St., P.O. Box 151, Columbus, WI  53925-0151 Phone or Fax: 920-623-1992

They bill themselves as above, and I have to say I believe it!  The place is HUGE on a grand scale... bigger than I've been able to cover in a day with any degree of comfort.   We usually get there around 9 a.m. and shop until we literally run out of energy to move.  This day it ended up being around 2 p.m. when we checked out and went to lunch.   My cousins were looking for Christmas items, jewelry and other miscellany.  Kelly found an adorable mini Christmas tree with little tiny lights on its branches.  You probably had one back in the fifties or remember one from your childhood.   A woman shopping near us spotted her with it, and tried to get her to turn it over... she even offered her money to give it up!  No way that was happening, and the woman proceeded to follow us throughout the day, probably hoping Kelly would abandon it somewhere!   Sheesh, creepy!   I found some linens in two different booths.  I have a thing about linens with embroidery or crochet trims.  I'll use them if they're the right size, and I'm also stashing some for a quilt project I have in mind.   Check out all the gorgeousness!  All hand work by someone in the past, and beautifully kept.  I don't know if some of these were ever used!   If you haven't been to the Columbus mall, you should go, or find one near you and explore.  You never know what you will find and you have to be prepared to look at a LOT of stuff to find the treasures.   Shop on... 

The Quilt Guild Challenge!!

Last Tuesday night our local quilt guild had the annual Christmas party and a local restaurant.  We had a lovely meal and the ladies on the committee did a bang up job of decorations and games.

The table toppers were given out as door prizes.  All but the last winner got to choose which table topper they wanted to take home.  The one I made

went to someone who seemed very excited to get it.  I'm so pleased!

We all brought a half yard of fabric in a brown paper bag.  When game time came, everyone picked a bag, sight unseen.  We opened them, looked at them, and put them back into the bags.  One of the organizers read a short story about Christmas using the words left and right a lot.  Each time she said left, the bags were passed to the left.  Each time she said right, well you get it...

The fabrics are to be made into something between now and our April meeting.  Here's the one I ended up with...

 

Now I just have to think of a project to use it in.

 

Christmas is 11 days away and I'm not done shopping or knitting or sewing.  I've stayed up too late too many nights this month.  Why doesn't someone tell me Christmas is coming much sooner than I realize it??   LOL!!

 

Lots of my presents look like this:

 

or this:

But at least the tree is up!!

Happy holidays!

Keep calm and carry on....

 

Holiday Sewing

I'm not going to post about EVERYTHING I'm working on, at least not yet... that might ruin a surprise or two.  But over the past weekend and one weekday evening, I did start a couple of little holiday dresses for a few of my dolly acquaintances.

I have a bin of small pieces of some fancy fabrics.  It includes some satin, some tulle and organza, and a couple of pieces of both silk duppioni and silk taffeta.  Dresses that were worn just one holiday season by the Grands sometimes make it into the 'potential fabric' stash too.

This year I actually have a commission to make two dresses for someone, and one potential commission if that lady likes the dresses, and a couple for the grand-dolls.

The fabric for this dress came in a large bag of odds and ends from a cousin, who dropped it off at my aunty's, who decided she didn't need any of it and said "take what you want and get it out of my living room".  You don't have to ask ME twice!

The skirt and sleeves are the plaid taffeta, and the bodice is a bright blue sort of fake velveteen.  You can't really tell but there's a fine black stripe running through it about every eighth of an inch.  I lined the bodice with some white rayon, and ended up hand stitching it down over the sleeve seam.

Once I have the skirt attached, all that remains is some Velcro at the back neck and we're done.

The fabric for this dress was one of Miss A's size two toddler dresses.  It was so adorable I couldn't part with it.  The skirt is white lining covered with pink sparkle organza.  The minute she spotted that dress she decided it was for her.  I have to remember to hide stuff better!

 

It is really pretty, though, very sparkly. 

But she reminded me that she has TWO dolls who need holiday dresses.  I'm up to six that need sewing now... so I went looking for some holiday fabric at JoAnn's this week.  Would you believe there was NO plaid taffeta to be had?  None.  Lots of solid stuff for special occasion, but no plain.  There was one bolt of some embroidered satin, and one bolt of gold poly with diagonal tucks sewn in.  I came away with a couple of pieces of poly knit with a sequin-type pressing, very sparkly, in four colors.

We'll see how that works out.

Meanwhile I ordered some red/green plaid fabric with gold lurex threads running through it from fabric.com.  Hopefully that makes enough choices for six dresses.

Yikes!  Time to get busy!

Sew on...

I Almost Forgot!

I nearly forgot about the bulbs I planted when I did my list yesterday... it didn't happen within the past week but a couple of weeks ago I actually did some gardening!

Yeah, me.

My friend Suzi said she had some tulip bulbs that were ready to be planted, and did I want some?  I do not do a lot of gardening.  In fact I'd say over the past eight years what I've done has been not worth mentioning.  I do supervise well.  But dig, me?  Not so much.

She brought them over on a Saturday and DH was viewing them very skeptically.  I suppose he knows me too well.  He actually said "what are you going to do with those?" like he thought maybe I'd planned to cook them or something.

It was a nice day, so I got out the handy dandy short spade and started digging.

I had yellow, red, and a red/yellow combination.  You dig a hole six inches deep, poke in the bulb and cover it up.  Easy, right?

At first I was thinking, oh, she only gave me three packages.  Well, I didn't know how many she had, it could have been half... and after all, I'm no gardener.

After opening the first package and counting out a dozen bulbs I thought, OH MY GOSH, SHE GAVE ME THREE PACKAGES!!!  That's 36 holes!!

After much bending, pushing, digging, and groaning, they were all planted.  My front yard should be lovely this spring, if the squirrels don't discover that the last six to ten holes are probably less than six inches deep... 

Bloom where you're planted...


 

 

Post-Thanksgiving Post

I cannot believe it's been 12 days since I blogged!  It seems like I spent every single one of those days running like mad to get something done.

What have I been up to?

1. Hosted visit from brother and sister-in-law from Washington - the state of.
2. Hosted visit from brother and sister-in-law from Minnesota.
3. Did family visiting with all of the above.
4. Knit a cowl scarf.  One ball of yarn and big needles - not that hard...
5. Spent a day baking and preparing for Thanksgiving with my two helpers, aged 8 and 14.
6. Baked for the pre-Thanksgiving pie social at church. 
7. Attended church and the pre-Thanksgiving pie social at church.
8. Hosted Thanksgiving. 
9. Cleaned up after Thanksgiving.
10. Did some simple stitching on a couple of fleece projects.
11. Made some no-sew fleece scarves.  This involved a rotary cutter.  And a band aid.
12. Took a family shopping trip to the Columbus WI Antique Mall.
13. Cleaned out my basement storage area
14. Located the cords to my serger while cleaning.
15. Started sewing on dolls Christmas dresses.
16. Oh yes, I did work two days last week too!

Whew, no wonder I'm tired.  I actually felt like coming back to work today was a vacation!

Cowl, knit with one ball of very cool yarn, can't remember where I got it and the label was missing.

Here are my latest sewing room projects.

 I got a small piece of fleece in a donated bag that had shoes on it.  I cut a large slice the width of the fabric, trimmed the edges and called it a winter scarf.  There was a chunk left over so I made myself a neck warmer.  The top was hemmed, so all I did was cut a slit.  Viola, neck warmer!

A neck warmer for inside my winter coat.

You cut a small slit, slide the other end through the slit and it stays put without tying.  I love the print.

There was still a small piece left, five inches wide at one end and about seven at the other...

I measured enough to go from one end of the hanger I wanted to cover to the other.  The strip is about five inches wide, and ended up about 15 to 16 inches long.  The strip should be cut with the stretch going from end to end, although this will work the other way.  It just goes on better if you cut 'horizontally'... with the greatest stretch across the long edge.

I folded the strip in half, and made a small cut - about a half inch long - on the fold.  That is where you stick the hook portion of the hanger.

Fold wrong sides together, and stitch both short ends as shown.  I used about a half inch seam allowance.

 

Turn right side out and insert the hanger.  This cover will keep your slippery clothes from sliding off the hanger and ending up on the closet floor.  Make pretty ones to give as gifts.  You could even use a double layer if you were trying to make a padded hanger.

 



 

 

Hanger cover.  Excuse the taped cardboard tube, normally I toss wire hangers out.  This works on plastic too.





Sew on...