Is it too early for a Christmas post?

On Monday, I had to go to the Galleria area in Houston. If you aren't familiar with the Galleria, it's an area of town (in Houston) with specialty stores, the best mall (hosting stores like Saks, Tiffany's etc). It's kinda a trendy area where people will gather, drink starbucks coffee, dine on the patios of little bistro's .. just a different life than I live. It's pretty there but oh so crowded! Anyway .. I was there for some business and there they were .. workers everywhere putting up Christmas decorations. Of course most people were home preparing to take their kids trick or treating as soon as it got dark but those of us out and about saw Christmas decorations going up! Of course it's been in the stores for months at craft stores as us crafters have to start our projects early to finish in time for the holiday season. I guess I just wasn't ready to see it on the streets yet.
It sure got me thinking about how close Christmas really is. It will be here before we know it. I didn't put up Halloween deco but moved on to Thanksgiving. But, my mind has been whirling thinking of the Christmas time approaching and how am it progressing on my holiday present status .. who have I bought for .. who I haven't.

They are small .. but oh so important to my kids .. stockings! My son is 31 and my daughter is 26. When they arrive, I do get a "Merry Christmas Mom", a hug and off they go to their stockings. Yes, they still get stockings. I have no grandkids .. and I just can't bear to have a Christmas without stockings hanging from the mantle, waiting to be filled with treats from Santa. So, here I am, so many years after I probably should have stopped, still filling stockings!

Each year seems to be more of a challenge. What do you give them to be different from the year before? Some years I have themes, some it's just all kinda treats in there .. small of course. My daughter told me her fav was a couple of years ago they got kid toys in their stockings. Everyone is celebrating Christmas in the house, and here are my two grown kids .. one is playing with play-do and the other is juggling balls. But, unless you are a mom, you will never understand the joy that brings to see your babies, no matter their age, enjoying toys.

So, today I'm in the stocking stuffing mode .. "what can I put in there this year". Sometimes when I'm stumped I will surf the internet for ideas on making something, giving something, doing something. I may not find exactly what I'm looking for, but there's always something out there to spark an idea for me.

It's just my two kids .. never their girlfriends or boyfriends who get stockings in my house. This year, I'm surprising my son's girlfriend and I'm making her a stocking too. She's been around now for several years, but it's just been something I've held special with my two kids. My daughter is dating someone now who is so wonderful to her. So, now I feel like my family is set (still waiting on the grandkids of course) but I'll be adding two more stockings to my mantle this year. I have 4 kids, not just 2 anymore.

I remember back when my kids were small, I made their original stockings of felt, glitter, sequins, embroidery thread, and the stockings were 3-D. They had toys, teddy bears, trees, whatever on them, but they were stuffed so it wasn't flat. Anyone who knows me knows I have to always be different. Anyway .. after a few years, I found some stockings that were decorative and matched our tree so I bought them. My kids threw a fit. "NO MOM.. THAT'S NOT OUR STOCKINGS!" So, they would dig in the Christmas boxes and find their stockings and on the mantle they would go. Their stocking holders are the original ones they had from when they were babies. So, each year, these same stockings and holders would adorn my mantle. The white felt on the stockings is starting to discolor, but each loves them.

I can't imagine not putting up those same faded stockings. They not only hold treats for my kids, but so many memories for me.

What are your favorite holiday memories? Remember, it's never too soon to start some!

Off to it's new home!

This time in our Flirty Apron Swap Shawnee chose for us to make a table runner instead of aprons. I'm pretty much game for anything if it involves sewing! Once I got my partner I saw she had a round table and no fall decorations. So, I decided to make a round runner (is there such a thing?) and applique fall leaves and acorns on it in all fall fabric. It was so much fun once I got my size down for the runner. I love to applique and love the way it looks when it's all done. As you can see from my last post, I'm so ready for fall, cool weather and much needed family time.
My package leaves today for California. I hope she likes it .. along with the tuck-ins!

I couldn't wait !!!

I got back from Round Top this weekend and seeing all the fall decorations there, feeling the FINALLY cool air here in Texas sure put me in the holiday spirit. Sunday morning I got up bright and early and started pulling my summer decorations and getting those fall ones out.

For some reason I wasn't really in the "halloween" spirit this year. I don't have little ones and living in the country there is no trick or treaters so I opted to leave the goblins and ghouls in the closet and bring on the pumpkins!

I bought a new table cloth last year after Thanksgiving so I couldn't wait to get it on the table! I ironed it and on it went! Love it! I threw up a few other things and realized I need more. So, with over a month to go .. I still have time to buy/make more fall harvest decorations!

I bought some new Pecan Coffee and this Saturday I'll be sitting at my table or on my front porch admiring the pumpkins and sipping on my coffee .. maybe I'll wrap up in one of my old quilts .. want to join me??

It's Round Top Time!

Well, it's finally time for the Round Top Texas big antique extravaganza. Twice a year, Round Top, Texas has a huge gathering of thousands and thousands of vendors. If you are looking for it, it can be found there. Everything from newly crafted items to items hundreds of years old.

I went in the spring, walked and walked. Drank margaritas from a vendor while I shopped. Bought a beautiful vintage 1940's christmas apron for $5. Course I bought other stuff too .. but that was my favorite find. I also collect vintage pink china plates. Bought a few of those also.

So, if you are in this area, check it out. I guarantee you won't be sorry you did. The fields along the highway going in to Round Top is lined with vendors. Porta-potties are set up and you can shop till you drop! See you there!

Man's Shirt Apron

I'm always looking for unique and unusual aprons. The other day I found one on the internet which had been crafted from a man's dress shirt! I thought what a cute and easy way to whip one up!

I'm participating in the "Flirty Apron Swap" and our theme this time is Tropical. While in Goodwill I passed and saw a man's shirt made of greap tropical fabric. I immediately thought of the apron and bought the shirt. Wednesday is Senior day and 55 yrs young and over get 40% off clothes. Well, I'm a year away still but I'm such a "frequent flyer" in that store, the girl gives me the discount! So, I got this shirt for $3.50! Now, where can you buy material and get 75% of a project done for $3.50?? Plus I always feel good when I shop there b/c I know I'm helping others, recycling, and also saving my husband money .. which he loves!

I didn't think to have my camera ready and take pics as I cut .. but I'll try to explain the best I can. I'm such a visual person I can see something and go home and make it as I remember it in my mind.

The shirt I bought was a man's large. I wear a size 10/12 so it was perfect for me .. eventhough I'm giving this away. Ok, back to the instructions! I get a bit side-tracked!

Cut up the sides of the apron, starting at the bottom till you reach the sleeves. I cut on the front side of the side seam, leaving the actual seam on the back part. I cut around the sleeve, and up and about 1/2 between the neck seam and the should seam, on around the back leaving about 4-5 inches around the bottom seam of the collar and on down and around the other side, around the sleeve and down the side. I took the back part and cut my strips across it sideways. I cut 4 inch wide strips (4 of them) using the full width of the back and sewed 2 together to make 2 long sashes (the 4 strips). Then I folded the strips long ways in half and sewed. Next turn them inside out. Go back to the front part of the shirt and this will be the apron! I just turned it under and top-stitched all the way around. I didn't want to add ric-rac or ruffles .. just something simple so I just hemmed it. I sewed the sash on each side where the side seam met up with the arm hole. Now, the original pattern I saw had the front part of the shirt sewn shut where the buttons were. I decided to leave this open so my partner could either slip it over her head (if she didn't want to unbotton it) or she could unbotton it and slip it on like a shirt if she wants to leave the sash tied. I did make the sash long enough so she could wrap it in front and tie it. I love long sashes!

Once I was through I thought it looked so cute and feminine and you couldn't even tell it had once been a man's shirt!

If you choose to use a long sleeve shirt, the sleeves will be perfect for the sash. I had to use the back section since the shirt I chose had short sleeves. It had one pocket on it, but you can always use the extra material to make another pocket or simply use it for your stash!

Best part of all .. you have recycled. To me, it's the gift that has given twice!

I am on the lookout now for more shirts! Can't wait to find unusual ones and get bizzy!

Happy sewing!

Aloha Flirty Apron Swap

Today Shawnee posted our new apron swap. A tropical Hawaiian theme. Just in time for summer. It's been over 100 here in Texas. So sewing something topical will be just what we need to cool off!

Thanks Shawnee for all you do to bring us these awesome swaps at Flirtyapronswap.blogspot.com.

From an Apron-a-holic ... me

Monday Memories

Last nite I was feeling a bit down. I cleaned house all day and when I was dusting, I started looking at pics of my dad I have around my house. It's hard to believe he's been gone almost 2 years. I miss him so much each day. After my husband went to bed, it was quiet and I started thinking back when I was a little girl. Many memories came flooding my mind and my birth year of 1957.

Several years ago, I was privilidged enough to have given to me an old Life Magazine Book with all the magazines from July and August of 1957 bound in a book. I was born in July so I was so thrilled when I saw it. I opened the book last nite and gazed through it.

It's one of those books where you really need to sit down and look at the articles because I had no clue what most were. Last nite, I was just in the mood to look at the advertisements and smile and think about how simple life was back then.

I had to snap a few pics of some of the ads in the book. Where in the world can you get a 5 piece bedroom suite now in the price range of $149 to $399? With $399 being the top of the price range, I wondered what in the world that one looked like! I really laughed when I looked closely because my brother had the exact bed but in black (not white) and a double size. Matter of fact, the bed is till in our farm house.

How about the cereal ad? Post cereals - sugar rice krinkles? I wonder if you could hear snap/crackle/pop on those when you poured the milk on!

Gleem Toothpaste with GL-70? GL-70 sounds like car oil to me! Can't imagine that being appealing enough to brush my teeth with it!

Who can forget Sea and Ski sun lotion? Remember the Coppertone girl and how much controversy was on her not having a top on? In this ad, you can pick up a pair of toddler pants for a mere 50 cents! No top, just the pants!

And last but certainly not least to me was the all time classic 1957 Chevy! My mom and dad bought one right before I was born. I got to come home from the hospital in a brand new car! This was the first new car my mom and dad owned. When these cars were built, they didn't sell as well has GM had hoped. This was the first automobile to have tubeless tires. It scared away alot of buyers. Funny .. now we ask "what's a tube?" When asking most people to name a classic car, the '57 Chevy is the most popular response. Brand new, this car cost around $1500. My mom and dad bought one, a black and white one like in this photo, and paid cash for it. Doesn't seem like much to pay $1500 cash for a new vehicle, but their income was $50 a week. My dad loved that car and drove it for years. I'd give anything to have it. Those are the coolest cars to me!

Well, we've come to the end of Monday Memories for today. Hope you all enjoyed joining me for a trip down Memory Lane. Seems like yesterday we were there .. then again, it seems like another lifetime ago.

Anyway .. it was a fun way to end the day of feeling down. A stroll down memory lane is always good for me.