To Be A Little Girl Again !

Saturday I was off to the fabric store to purchase material for my partner in the "Flirty Apron Swap". When I walked in the door at Hancock Fabrics, the entry way was lined with bargin clearance material. Normally I walk right by this because most of it is something I can't use for quilting. But on the top of the huge pile was this adorable (quilted) material. The little girls caught my eye! The back is pattern pieces cut outs .. just adorable!

I looked at it, immediately put it in my basket and headed to find what I came for! What a find! I kept looking at it while I was walking around and just felt like I was a little girl again! This is exactly how I looked when I was young. Starched little frilly dresses, black Mary Jane shoes and white nylon socks with lace around them. It just brought back such happy memories as a child. My daughter is 26 and I have no granddaughters but I had to purchase some .. just incase .. one day ... maybe maybe .. and if not, then I can be a little girl again.

When I got home and to my sewing studio, I couldn't help but lay it on the child's table I have beside my Suzie Homemaker Oven. The oven was mine when I was little (Santa brought it to me!) and is over 45 years old .. and still works! What a precious site it was!

When I get tired of playing big girl, I can go in there and pretend .. pretend I have no worries, no problems and my dad is still around so I can have a daddy/daughter hug. See .. I even have an apple pie cooling on top of the stove!

When did it become spring?

I work so much every week .. normally about 70 hours a week. I leave when it's dark and I get home when it's dark. Friday I worked only 8 hours (felt like I was on vacation!) and once I left the area I work in and headed home in the country I couldn't believe my eyes. The fields and roadsides were filled with beautiful wild flowers and green grass. I thought "When Did Spring Get Here? I work in Houston (where the population is 5 million) so once I get out of the city limits and head to my small town, I feel the stress leaving me when I see such beauty. I was glad to have my camera and had to stop for a few pics. These flowers were lining the roadside at the end of my street.

I live on a street where most everyone has around 20 - 50 acres. They raise horses, chickens and cows. We only have 2.5 acres (with no animals other than our two dogs who live in the house!) so I love when it's green outside and I can see the animals grazing on the beautiful land. I wish everyone could enjoy this each day.

Sew Cherry Fabric by Lori Holt @ Bee In My Bonnett

Wow .. how cool would it be to have your own fabric line?? Well, Lori Holt from "Bee In My Bonnett" blog has just that! Lori is just the most adorable lady. I follow her blog daily, and get her posts in my email so I won't miss a thing. She's SEW crafty and such an inspiration to me. When I'm feeling stressed .. I simply go to Lori's blog and admire her studio, look at all her creations or just read about what she's working on and what she's doing. Ahhhhhhh ......


Pop on over to her blog and check out her new line of Fabric .. SEW Cherry. Of course my fav is the Sew Cherry Pink! lol Imagine that! It was hard to pick a fav when they are all so precious! I just purchased several vintage dress patterns (uncut) from 1950's. I'll be ordering the Pink Sew Cherry to make my first dress with .. I already know which pattern I'm using.


Lori, once again, you continue to inspire us and encourage us to reach for our dreams. Happy sewing and happy blogging!


Hugs to all ...

Shopping In San Antonio

This Past weekend I went to San Antonio. This was a postponed weekend from several weeks ago when the ice hit us and the roads here were not driveable. I'm sure you northerners laugh at us .. but we are not accustomed to driving under those conditions and neither are our vehicles. So, if the snow falls .. or the ice hits, this area just shuts down!

Saturday morning off we went .. SHOPPING! First we hit the outlet mall, then on the way home we stopped at some quaint little old houses converted to retail shops. It was so cute. I wanted to take some pictures, but there were signs everywhere saying no photography. After hours in a "girly" shop buying Yellow Box Sandals and BLING necklaces I stopped in a super cute little "Texas" style rustic store.

I LOVED it! I enjoyed meeting the owner, Tricia Travis. She's super laid back, very ARTISTIC and had the most comfy little abode! Everything was so neat and tidy (which I love) and all color coordinated (which I love). Her speciality is hooking rugs. She laughed as she called herself a "hooker". She did allow me to take a few pics of the shop inside and out, but none of her rugs. I can understand why, but I'm here to tell you, they were breath taking! She has everything there to get started including classes. I wasn't able to browse as long as I'd like (one of my cousins had just had surgery and was feeling poor). She made us feel so at home. Lots of goodies (like a little country store would have!) and of course, what Texas store would be complete without homemade fudge at the counter! I didn't get it try it, but it sure looked yummy!

So, if you are out near San Antonio, stop in and say Hi to Tricia. Bring a big shopping bag, you won't be able to resist her goodies!

Thanks Trish for making us feel so welcome and sharing your thoughts and talents with us!

Country Gatherings, owner Tricia Travis,

18771 FM 2252 (Nacagdoches Rd),

San Antonio Texas 78266,

210-651-4470,

countrygatheringsshop.com

countrygatherings@mail.com

Next road trip ... Round Top, Texas at the end of March .. with over 2,000 vendors! Can't wait!

Mug Rug Thursday

A Mug Rug for a special person! I just finished two mug rugs. One is going to it's home tonite. We adoped a yellow lab from a rescue facility the week before Christmas. One of the volunteers at the shelter teaches obedient classes at her home for 6 weeks for each animal when they are adopted. Jake went to class each week .. maybe he learned something .. he still acts the same to me! But to me he's just a big loveable goober!

I wanted to do something for the trainer so I made her a mug rug .. with lots of doggies on it since she loves animals. I included a pretty polka-dot mug/soup bowl and a coordinating plate. Great for coffee and a snack or soup and crackers.

Tonite is "graduation". I don't think Jake will be the valedictorian but he's surely won the "Class Clown" title!

These shelters are awesome. When we picked up Jake we were able to see first hand how much love and attention and care are given to animals that have been abandoned or rescued. Some may never be adopted, but all are loved at Bellville Animal Shelter. Thanks for all you guys do!

My hubby and his "big boy".

Treasure from a Friend

Recently one of my friends gave me three boxes filled with material and partially started projects after his mom passed. What a treasure it was to receive this .. I felt so honored. When I got the boxes in my Expedition, the weather turned terrible (or terrible for us) and I had to leave them in the back of my truck till it got better outside so I could bring them in.

Going through them left me filled with mixed emotions. First I was so excited to see such vintage material, an old pattern, quilting books and even some new exciting material in bright vibrant colors. And then my little heart stopped .. lots of PINKS !! Oh I was jumping up and down. Then as I stood there in my studio admiring this wonderful gift, I started thinking about Harris' mom. He had told me how she loved to sew and quilt. There were a few started quilting projects in the boxes and as I held them, my mind drifted to a loving woman sewing for her family and friends, putting together her ideas, one stitch at a time, each with lots of love. It brought tears to my eyes to think of her. I've never met her, but I could imagine her sitting at her machine for hours working so lovingly creating her own masterpieces.

I have a few ideas for some pieces in the boxes. There is enough of some precious white cotton eyelet I can't wait to make a summer gown with. There was a bluejean skirt she had started and needed a waistband and a zipper. It will fit me perfectly so I’m going to finish that one first and wear it to work so I can show my friend. I think he will be pleased to see something from his mom being appreciated by someone else .. like a little piece of her was still around.

It makes me think about how precious life is and how each and every day we should cherish what we have. It’s not about the materialistic things but the things that hold true and dear to our hearts that mean the most. The things that mean so little right now will mean so much more as we get older. I am trying to stop and appreciate those small things now.

My husband and I have endured some rough times these past 12 months. He was forced to close his business, we were not able to finish the remodel of a foreclosed home we bought before moving in (we are finishing as we can now), cars breaking down, our water well pump went out and we had to replace it ourselves (120 feet below ground!), but I have come to thank God for each and every one of those hardships. It means I’m still around to endure them, my husband is still around also and we are blessed with very good health. No I’m not crazy but it has brought us closer together as we jump these hurdles together. I love to sit out in my studio and create, sew, quilt, knit .. and relax because it will prepare me for the next adventure God has in store for us.

When I touch the fabric I have received from my friends, it makes me truly appreciate how valuable the people in my life are. How wonderful that Harris entrusted me enough to share his mom’s precious treasures with me. For those of us who sew, quilt, or craft .. a box of material, old buttons, vintage patterns are just that .. precious treasures.

So, from my heart, I thank him and his family for that wonderful gift .. of not just the material but for helping me to slow down and remember once again what is truly precious in our lives.

May God be with my friend Harris and his family and they deal with his mom's passing.

Let it Snow! And it did .. alittle !

SNOW !!! Yep, It snowed on Friday. VERY VERY LITTE .. Most places saw non but since we are further north of Houston we had just some flurries .. but lots of ice! No school. Our district was closed due to icy conditions. Lots of businesses were closed also. We aren't used to driving in these condition so last count I heard, there were over 400 accidents Friday morning from those who did think they could drive in sleet and ice and hit the roads. Some were stranded on over passes in Houston for 9 hours until emergency help could get to them.

Me?? I stayed in, knitted and stayed warm and watched all the ding-a-lings on tv who were out and about in the mess.

Our district will have to make the "bad weather" day up later in this month. But it's a small price to pay considering the outcome if someone had gotten in an accident.

THEN .... on Saturday our water well went out. NO WATER! My husband and I pulled the well pipe out to get to the pump using our tractor and forklift attachment. He worked the pipe, I worked the tractor controls. All afternoon of going super slow and we got out the submersible pump ... 120 feet in the ground! One slip and we could have lost that pipe back down in the hole. By doing the job ourselves, it saved us around $ 3-4 THOUSAND dollars! My DH is so darn talented! So, for now we are out of water. He's off today to hopefully buy a pump. We are showering at my moms and had managed to get enough water before the pump went completely out to have some water to wash our hands and flush the toilet. As for food .. paper plates and lots of frozen dinners! Hopefully we can have a new pump by the end of today and put it back in tomorrow. Another SUPER cold spell is coming our way on Wednesday and will last thru the weekend. I sure hope we are not without water for a week!