Red & Orange Colorific Swaporama!

I am pretty excited because I mailed my box out to my swap partner for the Coloriffic Swaporama – Sept Red & Orange Swap today. This is my first swap of this kind & I can’t wait to see what my partner thinks of her goodies. I am a little nervous though. I picked things that I think she will like & use. I a good reason for each item but sometimes my reasoning doesn’t jive with other peoples, so we shall see what she thinks when she gets it. I made sure to include a letter explaining the thought process behind the stuff I picked. That may or may not be a good thing! That might make her think that I am even more of a freak!

So here is what I sent:


She said that she was new to sewing, so I added to her stash & sent a pattern for the so I added to her stash & sent a pattern for the McCall’s hobby Portfolio. With the pattern I sent enough fabric, interfacing & some notions(thread & bias tape), but then I thought she might not want to use that fabric for that pattern so I didn’t get all the notions for it. Also there are several options to customize the portfolio so I thought it best to leave it to her on how she would like to do, if she wants to make it at all. I know that she likes to do collages & scrapbooking also so I thought it was a good fit for her. The fabric I chose is all either reproduction prints of 1930’s & 40’s fabric or polka dots. She said that she liked vintage fabric, vintage seems to span a few decades now so I wasn’t sure which decade of vintage she liked. I took a chance on these. I think that they are pretty cute. I also included some cute buttons that remind me of the 1920’s, some paper & other scrapbooking items.

I wanted to put in a couple things that represent Michigan, but not in the obvious chochy cheesey “ I heart MI” type of way. So I included a note card from Michigan block print artist Grew Frostic & some fruit themed items (Kool Aid, orange Tic Tacs & fruit leather) because SW MI is called the fruit bowl or belt or something like that. We have tons of orchards, farms & vineyards. Yes surprisingly SW MI has a lot of wineries. I live near one of the oldest wineries in MI, St Julian’s, sorry I didn’t include any wine in my box.If you ever get the chance to check it out the tour is really neat & they make great wine. Also they will do special occasion labels. We had them done up for our wedding.

So on with the rest of my swap stuff. You were required to make or include at least one handmade item. I made this little purse that I also hand embroidered.


I thought that my partner would really appreciate the purse because she listed revamping thrifted items as one of her favorite things to do.



The paisley fabric for the purse started out life as these pants.


I picked them up at a thrift store for the purpose of making something for this swap before I even knew who my partner was. I thought that was a pretty good twist of fate.

So there my Red & Orange swap package is on it’s way. I feel good about getting that off & I am very excited to see what will be in my box! I’ll post pictures when it arrives!

The price of being trendy.

I read a couple of interesting things about the fashion front lately. Ann at Gorgeous Things, I thought had some excellent points about the absolutely asinine prices that designers charge. I could not agree more. Honestly who is paying for these things? We have people in this country who cannot afford to pay for health insurance, elderly who have to choice between eating & paying for medication, veterans who have fought for our freedom who are living on the street & people are charging more then a lot of people bring home in a year for a coat!!!!! Hello? Am I the only one that sees a problem with this?

Then this morning Stacy Sews wrote that Vera Wang is going to have a line at Kohl’s starting in the fall of 2007. I can see her point of Vera’s dresses being special by the average person not being able to ,wanting to or lost their mind enough to spend $12,000 for one dress, but on the other hand I can see why she would do it. Look at Isaac Mizrahi whose line at Target is doing incredible. Also have you seen the other designers that are jumping on the Target bandwagon? They now have Joe & Paul by Sophie Albou

Well let’s think about it….it’s an untapped goldmine for these designers. The % of people that can or will pay premium price for their clothes is very very small, but who wouldn’t spend less that $100 for a silk linen Mizrahi suit??? Ok I wouldn’t because if it’s not on sale I don’t buy it & it’s not really my style but come on!

Now this I would buy compared to the Paul & Joe $359.00 gauchos on Net A Porter.
Cute but for $359.00 I can get 3 complete outfits plus shoes at Target! Yes I know the quality is obviously not as good but how much longer are gauchos going to be in style anyway?

Most fashion is so trendy these days that come next fall half you wardrobe will be out dated so why spend huge bucks on it? Although I admit that I don’t keep up with the trends now like I did years ago before my dream of majoring in fashion design died when they canceled the program at the college I was attending, but I still try to check out what it going on. Part of this fall’s trends look like my 8th grade year is coming back to haunt me, but at least if I want to dress like I am thirteen again I don’t have take out a second mortgage to do it!

So I guess in short I am glad, like Ann that I sew too. Or at least don’t mind shopping the Target sale racks.

& Big weekend plans…….

Ok so on to my weekend plans. I dug a couple wool sweaters that I have been saving for who knows what. I just got done felting them in the washer. After I am done here I will pop them in the dryer.

Then I have plans to make a pair of long pants from Burda WOF 1/2006. They are going to be out of a bright aqua turquoise stretchy terry. I am sure that John will have a comment when he sees them.

In addition to that I am going to make a new "Barbara Jean" bag for my library books & I hope get a few more things cut out to maybe sew this week after work.

On the table I have a smock top like the one Autum recently made, a pair of brown & cream plaid pants, & whatever else I can fit it. Pictures come Monday I hope! Good weekend to all!*

* My home computer really sucks & I could not up load any pictures all weekend. so i had to save my posts until today to post from work. Then blogger has been having issues. So here are my Fri, Sat & Sun posts, on Monday. Oy!

Gratitude Friday…….

Anyhoo I see Autum always makes a list on Friday of what she is grateful for. I have had a hard time thinking in those terms lately. That is a long story but lets just say that when you buy a house, even if it was built 16 years before you buy, I highly advise that you make sure it received a certificate of occupancy. Because if it didn’t two years after you buy the township you live in might inform you 3 days before Christmas that the house is illegal & they are coming after you even thought you didn’t build it. Oh also they will make unreasonable demands & when you don’t try to make sure that you cover all your bases as you have been screwed by the seller, broker & the township because they were the ones that left 2 building permit open for 16 & 14 years they decide you are taking to long to comply. So they inform you that they will seek to condemn your house come Oct 1st because they failed to do their job.

But I have been thinking a lot about how there are things that I am grateful for:

1)I am grateful for my loving man, John. We have only been married 4 years this month & been through more than I think anyone couple should in a life time really. I am grateful for his strength & love during this horrible time.


2) That Chad, Cathy & the boys are in their new house, finally, nearly a year after having lost everything to Katrina. Not a day goes by that I am not thinking of them & am so thankful that they left when they did.


3) For Brendan, he is an incredible friend of John’s & helped him fulfill the dying wish of their other best friend. You rock Jake!

4) Gina ~ you really are a source of strength for me & who else would understand about the DQ, TFG & the gross pervert! It is so much fun having someone to share my costuming passion with and laugh about the laundry & is dirty deeds in the dark corners of the laundry room!

5) For Judi, My real clothes sewing buddy, for all her advice & the sewing gossip we share!

6) My newfound blogging friends LLA, Autum, Angela, Selena & company, thanks for the conversation, laughs & tears that you share! Also for those new ladies that recently posted on my blog & their support.

7) Last but by no means least, my mom & MIL Joyce, these strong women who listen & give comfort. I love & miss them so!

Thrifting......

Well after work Friday (which I am very sad say was my second to last Friday of getting off at noon. Bummer! Back to 2:30 in Sept.) I had to go across town to Tractor Supply for laying mash (chicken feed). Well perfect time to pop into a thrift store that I never get to go to. I am pretty glad that I did!

I found a couple treasures:



A pitcher & matching bowl. They look like Blue Ridge China, but actually they are by the Cash Family. I will probably sell this on Ebay. I really need to limit myself on my collecting. It is very cute though!

Then I found this creamer & 2 plates in this very popular pattern. I don’t thing that I will be keeping these either, but I bet I can find a good home for them. I thought the prices were too good to pass up. If there had been a sugar bowl too I would probably keep it.



That brings me to my reason for limiting my collecting (yeah right!) I LOVE cream & sugar sets. Some how I have started a collection of those. I am not sure how it happened, but I now find that I have sets that are not Fiesta or Blue Ridge.

For example these two that I recently picked up:





The melamine set for $1.29 & the Corelle set for $1.00. How can you pass that up!

So now I have more than 3 sets of cream & sugars so I have a collection, I think, right?

Do I offend?

Wow! I managed to offend someone with my blog? How interesting, the one time I don’t talk about thrifting crafting or sewing someone gets offended. I didn’t think that many people were even reading it. This is still my Blog right? Yet they were so appalled at my low opinion of Tom Cruise they didn’t leave there name. By the way I am pretty sure that I started out by saying that it wasn’t meant to offend anyone just my personal option on him. Well I guess I need not have bothered with that.

For the most part I could careless what you think of my option of Tom Cruise there Anonymous, but there is one thing that you said that I would like to address. My comment on him, not bothering to marry her. I could careless about them having a kid & not being married. I to know many people that have a relationship like that. They provide a safe loving home to their kids & that is what matters. My point was that he is spouting off about other people being immoral & making “wrong” choices, here he is doing what would be considered in the majority of the world’s minds as immoral by having a child out of wed lock.

I could careless if it works for them more power to ‘em. As far as I am concern as long as they provide a safe loving home for the child I don’t care who is raising them, same sex couples, unmarried couples, a pack of wild platypuses, whatever. As long as the child isn’t going to be the next Charles Manson I say good for them.

Really my point was that they actors, musicians, politicians, etc….. all think that they are so high & mighty, telling the rest of us how to think, behave, etc when they don’t even live in the real world dealing with real everyday issues like the rest of us. How could they possibly be more educated or know how I should feel on a subject whatever it maybe when they aren’t even living on the same planet as me? Tom Cruise just made a convenient target this week. Give me a week I am sure that some other Celebrity with make an ass of themselves & I can have a new target. Anyone know what Paris is up to?

Or maybe I will just stick to sewing, thrifting & crafts……..

Tom Cruise makes me sick & then some......

****Ok let me warn you right now that this is a rant post & not meant to insult anyone reading this. I just need to vent on a few things.****

Am I the only one that is honest to goodness thrilled that Tom Cruise has been let go by Paramount? I made a vow back when he decided to public attack Brook Shield’s about her personal choices on how to treat her postpartum depression not to see another one of his movies. It personally made me sick. There are so many reasons why his lunacy was so wrong.

He’s a man & won’t know the first thing about giving birth to a baby or the rest of what comes with it.

He adopted his first two children so again would not even have that experience to call upon for a tiny idea of what it's like.

Who is he to condemn someone else for their personal choices? He knocked up his much younger, second choice for a girlfriend(if you believe the rumors) in what can really only be described as probably a horrendous publicity stunt & hasn't even bothered to marry her. Which I am sure will not last longer than most celeb marriages even if he did! WHich hey if that is what work for you great, but then you shouldn't point the moral fingure at others.

He practices a religion that was started by a science fiction writer who is quoted as having said something to the effect of the best way to make money is to start your own religion. If you are a Scientologist hey more power to you, but don’t look down your nose on those that don’t share your beliefs!

I cannot understand these actors getting on their soap boxes like they are so much more knowledgeable than the rest of the world! I went to art school & have known many actors. I don’t remember any special class that gave them special knowledge on religion, politics, moral or world issues that they should let feel compelled to thrust upon the rest of us at the drop of a hat!

Personally I am against taking advice from people who can’t stay married for longer than it takes to get an oil change, don’t raise their own children, are in rehab more often then I vacuum my house, & live in a house that costs more money than I will ever see in a life time & that is their, 2nd, 3rd or 4th house. All because they have a talent to act. Well you know what: teachers, police, fireman, EMS, nurses, seamstresses, painters, carpenters, etc… have great talents to but you don’t see them getting a huge whooping sum for it. Sad because those people are the people that live in the real world with real problems that really make a difference in peoples lives. Not on occasion, or by just throwing money at a charity but by helping, giving their time or having a direct connection the next generations.

Kind of sad really………

Sew Quick!

I haven’t gotten as much sewing done as I had hoped I would since MIL Joyce left, but I did make this:



I am not exactly sure where it came from. I think in with a pile of sewing/fabric that I got from my mom when she got married 5 years ago & moved. I don’t think that she wanted to scare her new hubby by bring an 18 wheeler worth of just fabric with her so she gave me a ton of it. The funny think is that the bag was pretty much already cut out & there are two of them. I am not sure if she bought them this way or cut them out intending on making them, but it was the perfect instant gratification project!

I laid the bag on a cream colored mystery fabric from the stash & just cut the lining using the bag as a pattern. Sewed the handles & the sides up & I used the leftover piece from between the handles when I cut the lining to make a pocket & added a bright sunny yellow gingham using the cream as it’s lining, sewed that to the lining. Then I put the lining in the bag, wrong sides together & covered the raw edges with gingham bias tape.



Ta da! Fast cute library book bag! At least that was what I intended it for although at the moment it has my crocheting in it! Guess I will need to make another one from the pattern I made from the other already cut bag. Oh darn!

I have to add that I wrote this a couple weeks ago but I didn’t have pictures with me it at the time. So I am just now getting around to posting it. I also need to say that I named my little bag pattern. I seem to make up different bag patterns all & then need some way to identify the pattern pieces. So I decided that since this came from my mom I am going to call it the “Barbara Jean” bag. Cute huh? I think that she will get a kick out of it. I am toying with the idea of opening an Esty shop & listing a few things. I was thinking that this bag might be really nice in a couple different sizes. I picked up a great thrifted sheet the other day & thought that I would make myself another one of these to actually put my library books in. Hmmm…….

Maybe I will make up some bracelets too. I got a burst of inspiration the other night & made a cute little bracelet as a cheer up gift. That kind of got me back in the mood to make some jewelry. Hmmmmmm….. now if I could just add about 4 hours to my day I might find the time so get to all my great ideas!

Here a Chick, there a Chick, everywhere a Chick, Chick……

This post is for LLA, 1) because I hope that she is feeling better & 2) because we were discussing how “theme” gifts can get out of hand (she has a friend & there was a teapot incident.

Last spring I ordered baby chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery, and let me tell you that there is nothing like picking up a box of 36 baby chicks from the post office at 7am. They hand you this box with air holes & insistent peeping pouring from it. It is rather entertaining & then when you get the chicks home the real fun begins, but that is another story for another day.

So about this time I needed a new shower curtain & just could not find something that I wanted. So I got the bright idea to make one. I found some cute fabric with chickens on it at Wal-Mart & for about what it would have cost me to buy on I made my own shower curtain.




Well them my MIL got a hold of the idea of a chicken themed bathroom & started sending me chicken stuff, then my aunt-in-law got in on it, my step sister(the blue cicken plate), my boss & even our neighbor (left the black chicken in our coop for me to find & thrifted a table cloth for me too).





So now I have chicken stuff coming out of my ears!!! All of this because I ordered baby chicks & made a chicken shower curtain.



So I hope that you learn from my experience, don’t mention that you like something around the in-laws because it is possible that you will end up being besieged by theme gifts for every conceivable occasion until your DH finally has enough & says “Ma no more chicken s*#$ please!”.

Flashing your what? Shocking!

Ok I hadn’t intended on posting this sort of thing on my blog but Angela keeps flashing hers (living room that is) so I thought I would play along.

Now let me preface this by saying that when we lived in Florida we had a 1800 sq ft house with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, dining room, family room, laundry room & 2 car garage. Now we have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 living/dining/kitchen/laundry room 1036 sq ft house with a detached garage that has an additional room on the back of it, that now houses 75% of our belongings because they don’t’ fit into the house & are still in the boxes/totes that moved them up here. We do however have 11 acres now & had intended on building a house here, but that is another story for another day.

So anyhoo here is my less than fab living room.

Looking from the dining area:



Looking from the "master" bedroom doorway:



My thrifted wall art:

Found!

Ok so I haven’t been posting much. I feel that if it isn’t craft, sewing or thrifting related I shouldn’t post it. & seeing as I can’t post pictures from home & I have to burn them to a disk to do it from work I just haven’t been prepared for posting pictures. Why do I feel this way, I don’t know seeing as this is my blog. Hello, I can post whatever I want. Well duh!

So I was reading LLA’s Blog, about the “little gift” that her husband brought her home. Honestly I cracked up. Naturally I had to check out the website & found this. I was in tears!!!! I don’t know if it the stress of late, my sick sense of humor or what but I laughed so hard I cried! Thanks Laura!!! I needed that!