Just Another Day

Yes, you, too, can appear rather humdrum about the day when using this adorable tote. You know where your keys, cell phone, wallet and sunglasses are. You know your tote is stylish, yet not yet another fad of the minute. You are confident in your smile, your bag and yourself.

Outside of tote is made up of 100% cotton, machine pieced and machine quilted, lining is chocolate brown cotton. Polyester batting is sandwiched between the 2 layers. The handles are cotton webbing with grosgrain ribbon sewn on top.

Bag measures 7 inches (18 cm) wide, 8 inches (20.5 cm) high and 4 inches (10 cm) deep. Handles are 3/4 inch (10 cm) wide and have a 10 inch (25.5 cm) drop.

Shipping rate is for first class mail. Feel free to contact me if you would like to purchase shipping insurance or have this bag sent priority mail.

Custom orders always welcomed

Thanks for looking!

Cats Really Aren't Sewing Helpers

I know I should have a picture to go with this post. I should really have a lot of things in a lot of places, but that's another post for another day. My daughter's dance school is doing the Nutcracker in December. The costumes are gorgeous, which, unfortunately, equals expensive. So, we are sewing many of them to keep the cost down. Sounds good, right? Well, I'm trying to put together a bodice out of muslin, so we can try it on the girls and see how it fits, where it needs to be altered for each girl, etc. Now, I can sew but I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to alterations. I have a cheat sheet somewhere...(see second sentence in this post) so looks like I'm going to learn all about alterations.

However, before I can alter something I have to have it assembled. Enter George, the Unhelper. He shreds patterns...he jumps on the fabric as I'm tracing the pattern onto it, he eats pins, he tries to grab the spool of thread off the sewing machine, he will randomly jump on my back/shoulder/head with no warning whatsoever, just 'cuz he wants to.......so rather than bleed all over the place (he has very sharp claws) and get all frustrated and mess up, I'm calling it quits and will try this again in the morning. Let's face it, cats are nocturnal and with any luck, his "energetic" butt will be sacked out in a window tomorrow morning, or so I hope.

Remember Me?

What a summer! Aside from the fact that it rained all of June and most of July...I had my foot surgery and it went well. However, the pain meds screwed up my sleep schedule and even with satellite, there really isn't too much on in the wee hours of the morning. I realized the cheezy movie "Staying Alive" has actually gotten cheezier in the decades since it's original release.

My children really stepped up and took care of themselves and me. They made me breakfast every morning and brought it to me on the couch. However, they'd pour my cereal, pour on the milk and then pour their own and eat it. Cheerios are pretty gross after sitting in milk for about 20 minutes.

They had a great summer of swimming lessons....Sarah can swim now. Not super far, but..and she's lost her 2 front teeth. She loved tennis and had a blast sailing. Griffin is right behind her in the swimming department, he loved tennis, but didn't sail.

I had a major klutz moment, walked into the blade of the pole saw (the nasty looking arched blade on the end of a long pole that you use to cut tree branches while standing on the ground) and ripped a hole in the side of my face. Four sutures later, it did heal pretty well, not a very bad scar..but, I did go straight from the ER in Manchester to the lake and went sailing for 2 hours with my friend who was visiting from L.A. There are priorities in life, after all.

I didn't get much sailing done, but Michael had a good season.

Other things I learned...I play croquet AND Trivial Pursuit much better when moderate amounts of alcohol are consumed, by me. Who knew?????

Once I get all unpacked and find my card reader, I'll post pictures.

Toes

I learned a lot more about my big toe today than I ever knew before. I don't know about you, but I really don't pay a lot of attention to my toes. In fact, I have quite unattractive feet, especially my big toes. Actually, they are ugly. They are just those things at the end of my feet to help me walk.

About a year and half ago, I dropped a large piece of firewood on the end of my big toe, turned the nail black, and the big joint was sore. It all healed and I thought that was the end of it. Then, this winter, my son ran by me, I was sitting down with my feet up-something I rarely do-caught my big toe and yanked it to the side and it's hurt ever since. Some days I can't even bend it enough to get it in a shoe.

Last Sunday, I decided my rock garden HAD to leave. I was wearing sneakers, not my steel toed boots (I have explained to my husband numerous times that I didn't plan on ripping out the rock garden in sneakers, it just happened, but he doesn't understand such things) and while standing on top of the retaining wall, dropped a very large, 30 pound flat rock on my joint. It made the whole thing feel better.

So, the main point of this blog post (finally) I have the start of a bunion. That in itself does not sit well. Aren't bunions something old ladies get? I'm not ready to do the weekly perm and blue dye job yet..but dropping something on the END of my toe and having my toe wrenched to the side did more damage then dropping a rock right on the joint. Extreme force at the end of the bone causes more torque on the joint, thus causing more damage, then extreme force right on top of the joint.

The moral of my story? Sitting down with your feet up can cause severe damage to your big toe joints, so I guess I won't be doing that again anytime soon. And, if you are going to drop something on your toe, don't do the "toe scrinch", you know, scrinching your toes up so they aren't sticking out as far? Just relax and let the large, heavy object land right on the top of your feet and toes.

Spring has Sprung

So, I'm back trying to blog, I've been really working hard on decluttering my house. The last room I have to tackle is the sewing room. Let's just say I got burned out at Christmas sewing for family and friends...besides etsy....and I literally piled my bags of fleece right inside the sewing room door.......there is lots of sorting and organizing to be done, but I'm getting ready and have some new ideas to work on.

I'm also studying for my state licences for life insurance and securities. Yeah, I know. Like I needed to start a new business venture with all my spare time.

My seeds are sprouting, if it stops raining for 2 days in a row, the peas and lettuce are going in. The vegetable bed is thawed, and the first batch of compost has been added and worked in. Just waiting to have the time to assemble the pea fences and put them up...and for the ground to be dry enough to support them.

So, in honor of spring, and nature..and all of us frantically getting out to enjoy the warm weather and gardens....please enjoy my Busy Bees quilt.

Remember me?

Yeah, I know. It's been a while...in fact, a VEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYY long time since I've updated my blog. I've been busy. Since my last post, my garage has been de-cluttered and on Valentine's Day, my car went in (it's been about 4 years since that last happened) Slowly and methodically, the entire house is losing the crap. Guess what? It's much easier to keep it not only neat and tidy, but actually CLEAN when there isn't stuff everywhere.

I've finally discovered I don't need more storage, I just need less stuff. It's been great to donate so many of my treasures that I don't have a use for. I know someone else is getting some enjoyment from them and I'm helping someone else less fortunate in the process. A win-win all around.

So, I have this great bag...Won't you check it out? (yes, the next room to attack is the sewing room...)

Life, Death and Friends

Today I was able to go celebrate the life of a wonderful woman, Viola Fleming. When I heard of her passing, I knew I would be attending the funeral service no matter what, it wasn't a question, it was a definite.

I met this woman named Cathey when I worked for an equine surgeon. She was close to my mother's age, but had such a sense of humor and such a warm personality, we quickly went from just coworkers to very close friends. I rode one of her horses. Bear (actually, Cathey's son, Aaron's horse) and must admit to some pretty crazy riding adventures in the woods of Pembroke. I attended family events and parties and got know Cathey's family. Meme, as Viola was called by her grandchildren, had a wonderful sense of humor, a great smile, but had no problems telling anyone if they weren't exercising the best judgement. I was not immune from this...and you know what? She was right. I was about to do something stupid.

Cathey's sister, Susie quickly became a friend, also, along with Susie's daughter, Missy. I left the vet clinic but still rode Bear. Then, Bear injured her leg and I stopped riding her. I was no longer at Cathey's house every day, and eventually moved to Manchester. However, I kept in touch with Missy via email, attended Missy's baby shower and her son's christening. I would see everyone every few years and we'd pick up right where we left off. We didn't see each other much anymore, it happens to everyone, life gets in the way, but we still had that connection.

Today, I really felt the connection. I walked into the church, late, per usual, and went right up to the front and sat behind Missy and the rest of the family and didn't think twice about it. I was doing okay until I saw Susie teary, I started to cry then and when I hugged Cathey, well, I did wonder why I wasted my time putting on makeup this morning. It was a wonderful service...but the best credit to Viola is her family. They all know what's really important. I haven't seen any of them in over a year, yet I was immediately included in the family. There were some family members I didn't remember or hadn't met, but it didn't matter. Today, I was a Fleming. Maybe not by blood, but in the heart, where it really matters.

So, Meme, Rest in Peace. Your memory will always be alive and your kind and generous heart rests in your children and grandchildren. I feel blessed to be a part of it.

January is SNOWY

We got about 8 inches of snow last night and this morning. The kids have been going outside every chance they can get. Michael took them outside tonight, before dinner, but after dark. They thought that was really pretty cool.

They were sliding down the hills, the snowbanks, everything, using sleds, their stomachs and a summer floaty tube the neighbor loaned them. Unlike years past, this year, it's actually tiring them out, instead of wiring them!

something new...something blue

I usually blog about the crazy antics of my children or what I've created in my etsy shops. Today, I'm doing something different. I'm going to share one of my favorite recipes. Healthy eating isn't a real big thing in our house, if it happens, it happens. We tend to lean toward taste....and this is something that incorporates both. (and don't let the Bran in the recipe title scare you. You can always use softened cream cheese as a spread if it makes you feel less healthy)

Blueberry Applesauce Bran Muffins--(and they don't taste like sawdust)
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1 c Quaker brand Unprocessed Bran (recipe is off the back of the box)
1/2 c sugar
1 T baking powder
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
3/4 c unsweetened applesauce
1/4 skim milk (I use whatever milk I have in the house)
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1 c fresh or frozen (do not thaw) blueberries OR 1/2 c raisins

Heat oven to 400 degrees, line 12 c muffin pan with papers or grease bottoms only.
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Mix applesauce, milk, oil and egg in a medium bowl, add all at once to dry ingredients, stirring just until blended (do not over mix) add fruit, if desired. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 18-20 mins, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with few moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool in pan on rack 5 mins, then remove from pan, serve warm.

To freeze, wrap tightly in foil or place in freezer bag, freeze up to 6 months.

No Fainting...but...

I blogged! After a few months off..due to camera problems, hectic life, but most of all, computer problems, I am back to share my lovely pearls of wisdom with you all once again.

In the "off season" we had my daughter's birthday. She got a pair of very fancy jeans with a purple sparkly belt...opened them and said, Mummy, look, a really cool belt with jeans attached (she turned 6).

At the Christmas pageant rehearsal, my son, the shepard, turned his hat around so the back was covering his face and shouted, "Good Lord, I can't see a thing".

Christmas was great, Santa brought Sarah a scooter, which she really wanted, however, she realized the kitchen is a lot smaller on a moving scooter than on her own two feet. And the cabinets are sturdy.

Griffin got the 3 trains he really wanted, Spencer, Bertie the Bus, and Henrietta who is Toby's coach. He also got a freight yard with a tractor trailer so Daddy can play trains, also.

Our New Years wasn't so great. We had the barf bug that week. I think I'm finally caught up on laundry. I did tons of laundry after Christmas (I mentioned Griffin needed new underpants, casually, at Thanksgiving. He got over 40 pairs for Christmas. We did Christmas with my family on the 28th, my mom said she couldn't find any underwear in his size for his stocking. I told her my husband's entire family bought it all out) and then, to top it all off, after yet another load of sheets, blankets and towels, the cat barfed in the laundry basket of clean laundry. What fun.

So, now my computer is working, it's snowing, I've blogged and I think we're all going to go read a Magic Tree House book and snuggle on the couch.