Sewing....

While my in-laws were here I took advantage of my mother in laws amazing sewing talents and had her help me with a few projects that I have been working on. Yes, I sewed. Every time she comes to visit I try to have a sewing project so I can learn. Not to mention that she brings her fabulous serger with her. What an amazing machine that is! One of my many goals is to sew a dress from a pattern and know what I'm doing. I have a pattern for a girls jumper that I want to try for my Doodlebug. I have made a date with my sewing machine and I'm going to give it a try solo! I will let you know how it goes! Send happy thoughts if you think about it! :-)

First I used the serger and sewed up 3 new dresses for Doodles. Doodlebug and I went to the fabric store and she picked out the fabric. I still have to sew the straps on but I'm really happy with how they turned out! As you can she, the Doodlebug was not too happy about posing for the camera.

She was very happy to pose once the mirror was involved! :-)

I think this one may need to be hemmed up a little more. I was just trying not to lose the cherry design on the bottom.

I have declared this coming Christmas a homemade Christmas. My intention is to make 80% of the Christmas gifts this year. This includes the wrapping as well. I had a ton of Christmas fabric for projects that I had intended on but never got to. So in line with my homemade Christmas I made 53 gift bags of different sizes and shaped. I will use ribbon to tie them off and make gift tags.

One of my big projects was to make a skirt to go around my desk. I didn't like seeing the computer equipment and scrap booking storage even when it is neat and tidy!

Last but certainly not the least was the most important project. Making curtains for my front windows. When we moved in the window treatments were those yucky metal blinds that had been put in when the house had been originally built! They were cracking and rusting and I just couldn't stand them. It was a glorious moment when I finished the curtains (with much help from my MIL) and got to take those blinds down! They are a sage green which matches my grandmothers furniture in the dining room. This is Doodlebug's craft area!

This is the front sitting area. I want to eventually sew an additional brown strip across the top to match the brown in the couches and chairs. It is so nice because I can still open them but can take them down and wash them when they need it!

It feels so good to have some projects done that I can cross off the list. I really do like to sew, I just get frustrated at times because I just don't know as much as I want. But like they say, practice makes perfect! I'll keep working on it! :-)

Book Reviews

Ok, so I have another new item that I'm working on.   A self project if you will.  I love to read, but I have allowed schedules to get in the way of reading.  So, to help me get back into the swing and habit of reading I have decided to write short and sweet reviews on the books I have read off my list.  Giving myself a loose timeline will help me read more and turn the TV on late at night less.  I have quite a list of books that I want to read.  Some short, some long, novels, autobiographies, fluff books, nutrition.....you get the idea.  So, in honor of my new self project I have added a book review area to my blog.  I have my first short and sweet review on "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.  It's not New York Times worthy but it will just give you a little insight into the book and what I thought.  Enjoy!  Oh, and if you have any good books you have read lately let me know.  I'm always looking for a new good read! :-)

A New Get To Know You Meme!

I haven't been blogging in quite some time.  We have had a very busy month of July.  I saw this get to know you meme on another blog that I follow and thought it would be a great way to get back in the swing of things and would be fun!  Join in the fun! 

A - Age: 42

B - Bed size: Queen

C - Chore you hate: Cleaning the toilet!

D - Dog's name: Ellington

E - Essential start your day item: Taking a shower

F - Favorite color: Pink....I also love earth tones!

G - Gold or Silver or Platinum: Silver

H - Height: 5'5 and a 1/2

I - Instruments you play: Played Cornet and French Horn in high school.  Wish I had kept playing!

J - Job title: Teacher........Home Chief Operating Officer LOL :-)

K - Kid(s): One highly spirited, imaginative, full of energy 4-year-old that I just adore!

L - Living arrangements: House on a cul-de-sac, 4 bedrooms

M - Mom's name: Jacqueline Lee Marie Julia Holley aka. Nana

N - Nicknames: Kimbo, Kimmi, Super Bananna, Ethel

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Yes....Food Poisoning

P - Pet Peeve: I have a few.  They deal mostly with stupidity.

Q - Quote from a movie: Oh, there are so many...."Put the Candle Back!"

R - Right handed or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: One younger brother!

T - Time you wake up: Between 6:30a and 7:00a.

U- Underwear: Yes

V - Vegetable you dislike: Brussel Sprouts

W - Ways you run late: Not preparing the night before, getting sidetracked by other activities.

X - X-rays you've had: Too many to mention.

Y - Yummy food you make: Enchiladas, stuffed mushrooms, turkey meatloaf, apricot brandy pound cake, just to name a few of the family favorites!

Z - Zoo favorite: I don't like zoo's but Disney's Animal Kingdom has done great things in regards to conservation and educational programs.