All my chicks are back in the coop. Sun burnt, but, back. We went to the lake yesterday after picking the youngest two up.
This has always been my favorite view. The island at the lake.









Here's the General in "cool mode."








Here is a shot he took of me looking silly!









Here's Captain Cool being what else-Cool!








Captain Kitty being silly!








Captain Chaos all wet!

Today is my last day of being childless! Hurray! I have missed the little devils. I talked to my Momma tonight. It took her a week, but she finally wore Captain Chaos out. He was a sleep at 9 p.m. when I called. They went to the lake today and then this evening my neice in law took them horse back riding. Captain Kitty said she missed me and was ready to come home. Ah!

I finished the last two shirts I needed to embroidery for my nephew. The same nephew who is married to the neice in law who took the children horse back riding. My family is very complicated. I have two real sisters. I have had six half brothers. My half brothers have three half brothers and 3 half sisters that my parents have also had to deal with due to abuse. I have 23 nephews and neices and as of last year I have 16 great nephews and neices. I tell people I come from the original disfunctional family.

I also worked on a shirt for me.
Don't you love those beautiful stitches! Especially since this material is a very thin very stretchy jersey. It just stitched right up. I love it when things work right! Tomorrow we go to N.C. to pick up Captain Cool. The General is going to take me past Martinsville so I can go to a sale at the sewing place there. I heard from a friend today that it was a great sale. I have been wanting to check out this place, but, since it is a bit far from my house I have never been. Since we will be going by there anyway I get to go!

Sew Long for Now!

Today was errand day. I had a lot of running around to do. I didn't get much sewing done. I embroidered 3 more shirts. I hemmed a jacket for a lady. The cool thing about this was using my new serger to hem it. I was able to figure out how to make it sew a cover hem. Way Cool! Neato Man! LOL, or as the children would say, Awesome, Rad Dude! One of my errands this morning was to my sewing machine dealer and they were asking me about new owner classes. I will take them in the future, but, don't expect me to just stare at the machine until then!

I finished reading Stepping Heavenward One Woman's Journey to Godliness by Mrs. E. Prentiss this afternoon. That was such a great read. I could so relate to her struggles of trying to be more like Christ and failing only to have to try again. One paragraph at the end really spoke to my heart: "And when I entered upon the sacred yet often homely duties of married life, if this love had been mine, how would that life have been transfigured! The petty faults of my husband under which I chafed would not have moved me; I should have welcomed Martha and her father to my home and made them happy there, I should have had no conflicts with my servants, shown no petulance to my children. For it would not have been I who spoke and acted, but Christ who lived in me." Oh, to learn from this in my own life!

Speaking of children. I have spoken to our youngest two every evening. Last evening my Momma sounded quite upset. It seems Captain Chaos had coming running in the house saying he couldn't breath. He had went out side with his goggles and snorkle on and tried to suck up dirt through it and it caused him to choke. Later she went outside to feed the horses and found him with her trowel digging large holes all over the back yard. He felt it was his duty to rid her yard of all the ant hills! Today Dad and Mom took them to town. My parents raised many children, but the youngest of those is 42 so it's been awhile since they have had to deal much with an active little boy!

Sew Long for Now!

Today was a good productive day, well sewing anyhow. Last night I stayed up until 1 a.m. cutting out a pattern. Captain Cool called at 12:05 a.m.! He didn't realize there was a 2 hours time difference. He sounded very happy. Did you know Martha comes on at that time of the night? I saw an episode on giving a baby shower that was pretty good.

I embroidered 3 more shirts for my nephew. I ran out of iron on poly mesh so will have to run over to Alpine tomorrow and pick some up. I put new elastic in the waist of a pair of pants and hemmed a lined jacket for a lady. I cut out a shirt with the pattern I cut out last night. (I think the worst part of sewing is cutting out patterns.) I also made two pin cushions using the instructions from the ASG meeting last Thursday.

The one with the pink center is the one I made at the meeting. They had the supplies all cut out and in baggies, you just grabbed one. The two below are the ones I made today.











Of course I had to change the directions a bit to make it more efficient for me. I think I will try some more later. Tomorrow I would like to start on a new wallet. I ordered the pattern called "A Safe Place" from Favorite Things and it came in the mail.

Sew Long for Now!

Our oldest son has made it safe to Colorado Springs. He is only staying a week. This is called the summer seminar. It is for potential Air Force Academy Candidates. You have to turn in a resume and PSAT scores and be picked to attend. If all goes well and he receives a nomination he will attend the academy next year. This is a very difficult process. Only so many people from each state are selected each year. Since it is an all expense paid college education it is very competative. We have prayed a lot about this and we feel this is God's will for his life. If God wants him there next year, He will make it happen.

It is so quiet here with no children. I am feeling a bit lonely. Not bored, never bored. I am just not used to so much silence. I spoke with the youngest two just a little while ago and they were full of tales of riding horses on the farm today and the Grandparents taking them to Tasty Freeze. They are hoping the Grandparents will take them to the lake tomorrow. Granddaddy will not let them swim in the creek because a lot of debris has washed down during some storms over the winter, that and he has a couple of bulls that seem to be aggressive. He doesn't want them in the field with them.

Today I got up about 5:30 and worked in the garden. With the blessing of the weekend rain came weeds. I got through about half the garden this morning and plan on finishind the rest tomorrow morning. I embroidered 3 shirts for my nephew. I took in and hemmed some pants for a lady. I also finished the blue bag for the exchange student who is going home this month.

I added a cloth flower to this one. It looks cute. The material I used has a lot of blue and tan in it. In the photo it looks more black.

I hope to cut out some patterns tonight. We will have to see. I am running out of hours today.

Sew Long for Now!

I am waiting to cook supper, then we are going to take a nap. We are leaving at midnight or 1 a.m. to take Captain Cool to Greensboro to catch a plane. His flight leaves at 6 a.m. He is headed to the summer seminar at the Air Force Academy. I didn't sew today, but, I did go to JoAnn's...does that count? I thought I would answer this while I waited.

1) FIRST NAME? Cynthia
2) WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My middle name is after my grandmother
QUESTION NUMBER 3 DISAPPEARED AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT!
4) WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? I can't remember
5) DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No
6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? thin sliced deli ham
7) KIDS? 2 boys and 1 girl with 4 in heaven
8) WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I don't know, I would hope so
9) DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Only in this blog
10) DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Define a lot
11) DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Well, that's a hard question. I had them removed, but they grew back. So, I actually don't still have them, but have them again
12) WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? NO!
13) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? We don't eat much cereal here so I don't have a favorite
14) DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?No, I wear birks
15) DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Neither in the physical or spiritual sense
16) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Breyer's All Natural Vanilla
17) SHOE SIZE? 12
18) RED OR PINK? Both please
19) WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I can be so unorganized that I waste a lot of time
20) WHO DO YOU MISS MOST? My Grandmother
21) DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Surely!
22) WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? I never wear pants. I am wearing a blue jean skirt with my brown birk sandles
23) LAST THING YOU ATE? I stuck my finger in the icing of the carrot cake in the frig when I was getting something to drink
24) WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The neighborhood children laughing outside
25) IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Green
26) FAVORITE SMELL? Cotton Blossom
27) WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My children and Mother as they are staying at her home, or was it my father-in-law?
28) THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Whether they are friendly and talk
29) DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I found it on Mrs. Wilt's blog, 30) FAVORITE DRINK? Diet Dr. Pepper
31) FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? Deep sea crab fishing
32) HAIR COLOR? Cooper Brown
33) EYE COLOR? Light Brown
34) DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, just glasses
35) FAVORITE FOOD? I have to pick just one! Strawberries
36) SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. Always
37) WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Blue
38) HUGS OR KISSES? Both please
39) WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
40) WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
41) WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Sense and Sensibility, 7 Habits of Highly Affective Families, Hidden Art of Homemaking, Stepping Heavenward, and the Homemakers Companion
42) WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No mouse pad
43) WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? What Not to Wear and Red Green
44) FAVORITE SOUNDS? Birds chirping, rain falling, children laughing
45) ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Neither
46) THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Canada or Mexico, I don't know which was farther
47) DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? No, I am just ordinary
48) WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Oct. 28 in Waynesboro, VA.

Sew Long for Now!

I tried to post Wednesday, but blogger had a hiccup. Thursday was very busy. Thursday night was ASG meeting. We made these cute pin cushions that I will post a picture of later. Captain Cool got his drivers license. Today we are headed to my folks to drop off Captain Kitty and Captain Chaos for a week of fun with the grandparents. I finished the digitizing for my nephew and will meet him at my parents to get some shirts to embroidery for him. He lives just a couple miles from their farm.

I have been battling a sinus headache several days this week and it has really put a damper on my productivity and creativity. Since I will be home alone for a week I hope it leaves soon because I have so many tasks I would like to get caught up on.

Sew Long for Now!

I am pleased to announce the newest addition to my sewing family...



My new serger. This machine is way cool. I have had fun playing with it today. My old serger would not do a chain stitch or a cover stitch. Half the time it wouldn't do an overlock stitch. This machine is a breeze to thread compared to my old one. I did actually get some sewing done today, not just playing on scrap material! I worked on the blue bag. I did the pockets and the handles. I also hemmed a jacket bottom and sleeves for some one.

The problems with hemming an already made jacket can make it a bit overwhelming to some. I had to remove pockets that were patch type, but, sewed in the seams on both sides of the jacket because they where too close to the bottom and the new hem would have sewed them half shut. I had to figure out the hem and mark it then figure out where the pockets should go with the new hem. I had to rip the side seams out and reinsert the pockets in the seams then sew the pockets back to the front panels of the jacket. After I got that done, I proceeded to finish the hem. The sleeves were lined. So to shorten them I had to take the sleeve and lining apart and measure and cut the sleeves then mark the new hem line. Next I had to do the same thing with the lining. I hand sewed the lining back to the sleeves so that it would look professional. Altering is not the funnest thing in the world, it seems some times it would be easier to make something from scratch. There is a market for it though.

Yesterday I didn't get any sewing done due to a terrible sinus headache. I have had quite a few of these this spring. I hope what ever is blooming finishes up or it rains more to wash some of this pollen away. Even Captain Chaos awoke Sunday morning with a sinus headache so bad it made him feel sick to his stomach. The General stayed home with him while I went with our other two to church.

Sew Long for Now!

Yesterday I took Captain Cool to SAT's. Captain Kitty and I went to a used curriculum (homeschool) fair. I found some good deals. Not everything I need for next year, but, most. Captains Kitty and I checked out a few yard sales and A.C. Moore while waiting to pick up CC. The General and Captain Chaos had gone to help our friends in Thaxton do some electrical work. When I finally arrived home I was tired. I didn't get much else done yesteday. I finished a pair of socks I was knitting for Captain Kitty.


I don't think you can see in this picture, but, the ribbing on these socks goes in a spiral. I bought the yarn on clearance last year and got the last skein they had. I didn't know what I was going to do with it. CK ask me to knit her socks out of it. I told her there was not enough for two complete socks so she picked out the denim yarn to go with it. She wanted it like some store bought socks the boys have that have grey toes. I think I should have made the toe area littler, or the whole foot the denim. CK is happy, she hasn't taken them off since we came home from church.









Today, while watching a movie with CK and her friend I crocheted this dish cloth. I figure at this rate, if I use up all the bits and pieces of yarn I have, I can buy some more! Or maybe this can qualify as one of those use what you have kinda things!

Sew Long for Now!

I feel pretty good about today. I accomplished some sewing. One of the things I worked on took up the majority of my day, but, I am very pleased with the result.




A friend brought me this shirt and bolero. The bolero is made out of a very slinky knit. She wanted me to embroider something on the bolero to give it a little umph to go with the shirt. I had some iron on polymesh and I had to put it up under the interfacing. I used iron on stabilizer because this material had ALOT of stretch in it.
















This is what I came up with. I used a Criswell lace design and embroidered it directly on the jacket. I added a little detail of gold metallic thread on one side, you can't see it so well in the photo, but it gives it a touch of sparkle. I hope she will be pleased. I hemmed two jackets for a woman while some of this was embroidering.

The funny thing about people finding out I sew is they are always asking me to do things for them. When the General went to the doctor this morning for a followed up visit I went along. Our doctors nurse ask me if she had my permission to look up my phone number and address on my records and call me next week about doing some sewing for her and her mother. I told her sure. God truly does bless our family through this.

We are having grilled salmon, corn on the cob, and family movie night tonight!

Sew Long for Now!

This morning Captain Kitty got her hair trimmed. This is the first time in about five years she has gone to the hair saloon. She is so afraid they will cut her hair short. Her hair is about to her waist. I found a great stylist though. The stylist herself has long hair so she was very respectful of CK's wishes to keep her length. CK's hair looks really nice, she still has her length, and the stylist showed her how to curl it with a curling iron to make it look really cute.

I hemmed two shirts for customers this evening. I fixed the straps on a dress for some one. I repaired a bib type thing used in the daycare at church. I embroidered bookmarks for teacher gifts. I even got the sides pieced for the blue bag. I was worried I wasn't going to be able to sew at all with all the lightening and thunder here. I don't like to turn on my machines with storms. It finally calmed down and the sun even came out.



These are going to be part of gifts for the children's Sunday School teachers.

This is the bag I am doing for the exchange student who is going home. I need to finish it by Sunday.

Sew Long for Now!

The last two mornings I have awoken to a bang. Yesterday it was an electrical transformer in our neighborhood exploding. We were without power for awhile. This morning it was thunder and lightening. It really messes your day up when you are jolted out of bed.

Testing is finished and mailed! This Saturday there is a used book sell and I hope to find some of the curriculum I need for next year. Then I don't know we may take some time off, we'll see.

I did not do any sewing today. I took Captain Cool to the doctor to get his shots for his trips this summer; hep a, tetnus, whooping cough, and menengitis. I did deliver completed sewing to some customers. I ran lots of errands. This evening Captain Cool helped me shampoo the carpet in the livingroom, our bedroom, Captain Kitty's room, and two of the cars.

Sew Long for Now.

I hope everyone had a nice holiday. We did. We went to a friend's farm in Thaxton and had a cookout. Even at 90 degrees it was cooler out in the country than here in the city. Today it was 93 degrees here. I don't know how the General does it. He works outside all year round. I melt in heat. He is so good to me to let me stay in the air conditioning while he works so hard out in this heat.

We are testing here this week for school. Also, Captain Cool is taking the SAT this Saturday. Please keep him in your prayers.



Here is some blue material that I cut out today to make a bag. Our friends have had an exchange student for a year and she is going home in a few weeks. I wanted to make her something to remember us by. I also took some chiffon and made two bands and ties for two flower girl dresses. The dresses had white satin bands across the front and long ties to make a bow in the back. I took the white satin off and replaced it with a green chiffon that matches the bridesmaid dresses. I sewed out a test of a digitize that I am doing for my nephew. It needs a bit of tweaking. The last thing I sewed today was a pair of pants for a friend's Mother who is in town for a visit. I took the pants up 2 inches in the waist.

I am waiting for Captain Cool to get home from a friend's house so that we can all go out and work in the garden.

Sew Long for Now!

Just for those who like to crochet dishclothes ;)

I finished this yesterday. I haven't done a lot of sewing the last several days. Instead the General took me shopping for a new serger. We picked out one that I will bring home June 6th. It is an Elna 744. I will have to share a picture when it comes.

We also put in our garden. We had to put up new fence this year so that took us extra time. We put in 6 rows of blue lake beans, 19 tomato plants, 2 sweet pepper plants, 4 habinaro pepper plants, 2 squash, 2 zucchini, and 8 cucumber plants. I have sew much sewing to catch up on! I have got to get some work done this week!

Sew Long for Now!

If you go to http://www.lovetocrochetandknit.blogspot.com/ you will see Tammy's idea about showing your aprons. I don't have any vintage aprons. I only have the ones I have made. I have about 4 I have made myself. I started wearing aprons a couple of years ago when a friend gave me one as a present. I have only made bib aprons. After reading on Tammy's blog, I was going through my fabric and found a neat fruit print that looked vintage. I also found some yellow gingham I wanted to use. I put them together with the lace I made and came up with...




My surprise. I look at the fabric now and think I would like to try a waist apron out of it. I don't have any more yellow gingham, but I do have blue, green, and red.














Here is a close up of the lace on the top.

This is a close up of the lace on the bottom. I haven't got the hang of getting the pictures all the same light.

Sew Long for Now.

Of course there was not enough time in today. I did manage to do some sewing. I hemmed a pair of pants and a shirt for a lady. I also almost completed my project. I have to finish it tomorrow and then I will share a picture. It has something to do with this,

some edging I machine embroidered using my new Criswell CD, yellow gingham, and material with fruit on it.

We cleaned the bathroom today. I went to the store. Of course I took CC to drivers ed and picked him up. I did math, language arts, and history with the youngest two. I also took them to the library. I found some books to help me in my quest to find what colors look best on me. I am finding out that I am an autumn or sunset. I need to start to plan a wardrobe around this information. My wardrobe is a hodge podge of pieces given to me by others. I have made some things to match what was given me, but, never with a rhyme or reason. I want to put together a wardrobe with staples that look good on me, not just cover my body.

Sew Long for Now!

Every time I tried to sew something this evening the phone rang! I did put the binding back on the quilt I embroidered for a customer yesterday. I started on a project for myself. It's a surprise. I was hunting around in my fabric stash and found some that is at least 11 years old if not older. I had an urge to make something and this is turning out sew cute!

We did math, language arts, and geography today. We also cleaned the sewing room and all three children's rooms. We spent the afternoon playing a game similar to Monopoly called America in a box. It was fun! Hopefully tomorrow I will sew more. I have two ideas for the quilted bags and at Bernina Club last week she showed us a really easy bag that I want to do and then show you. Boy, I better get busy. Oh, and I have been thinking about making some new skirts and some new shirts. LOL, my head is so full of ideas there is never enough time in the days to do it all!

Sew Long for Now.

It's been a beautiful weekend here. The children had a great time at the all nighter. At the end of the Awana year the 3-6th graders have this event. They went swimming, roller skating, went to laser venture, had a cook out, and a water battle. I didn't mention, but, Captain Kitty was honored this year in our Awana program. I don't know if you remember my mentioning how amazed I am with her memory. She has always had a phenominal ability to memorize. When she was 2 the doctor ask me if I had started teaching her the alphabet, she recited Psalm 100 for him. She had memorized it while I was working with her older brother to memorize it. This year in Awana she did her third year book, ALL the silver and gold and a bronze pack. She wanted to start on a silver pack and the next book, but I ask her to wait until next year. So she got her book award, an extra award for those things, and clubber of the year for her group.

The General and I made a quick trip up to my folks Friday night. Saturday I made thank you cards for Captain Cool to send out for his birthday.

I made this blanket for a baby present.














Here's a close up of the edging I crocheted. I crocheted over 180 inches of it.

I made this wallet for me. It's not exactly how I had envisioned it and I may make another one.

Sew Long for Now.

I am sorry I have been absent a few days. It is just very busy around here right now. I have done a little sewing, but, not much. I embroidered two sweat shirts and two t-shirts for some one. I went to a Bernina Club meeting today. I got a new Criswell CD. It has been out a while, but, I just saw it today and decided I needed it. I got the Flexible trims k-lace sampler. I have been crocheting the edging for the baby blanket and knitting a pair of socks for Captain Kitty. I tried to make the continuous bias binding the other night and did something wrong and it flopped. I cut out the pattern to make myself a new wallet. I made my last one and love it, but, it is tie dye and doesn't go with the new bag. I hope to get some sewing in this weekend, but, the younger children are going to an all nighter and the General and I have to run up to my folks to pick up a chair my Momma is giving us. Then Captain Cool has to paint for some one Saturday and I need to visit the store! His Drivers Ed classes every morning are killing my days. I get up and take him and then have to pick him back up in a couple of hours. That's 80 minutes of driving a day for me. It will make my life a lot better when it is finished because then I don't have to play chauffer.

The yarn I using to knit the socks is a varigated and some times a blue and yellow come together while knitting. This has spurred the idea in my head of making a blue and yellow quilted bag. I hope to start one soon. I still have lots of customer work to do and more coming, but, I need to do some creative things also.

Sew Long for Now.

Today I had to get back to business and catch up on some of the paid sewing I have to do. I repaired 4 pair of pants and moved the waist band down 2 inches on a fifth pair for a lady. We did math and language arts in school. For afternoon lessons I assigned them to plan a trip from our house to Maine for a vacation. They had to tell what states we would pass through, find attractions to visit in Maine, and plan when we were going etc.

My creativity today consisted of stamping. One Monday a month I meet with some other ladies and stamp. One of the ladies brings samples and supplies and shows us how to make different things.

I love this card. We used Versa mark and pearl ex powders.

This is a card I made to go with a baby gift I am giving this weekend.

Sew Long for Now.

Last night I stayed up late watching the A&E of Pride and Predjudice. I have had an emotional ride the last several days. Some things happened that upset me greatly. You can do a lot to me and I will ignore it, but, mess with my children and I can get really mad. I forgot to set the alarm clock when I went to bed. I was awoke at 8:39 by my children bringing me a beverage in bed. Since Sunday School starts at 9:15 there was no way we were going to make it. The General suggested we not attend church today since the people who made me so angry go there. He suggested I needed to cool down. He was right. So today we worshipped God through nature and being together as a family. The children made us a wonderful breakfast. The General suggested going to buy some flowers for the front porch planters. The children ask to stay home, so the General and I went together. We went to two stores and just piddled around until I found what I wanted. The General also threw in some wild flower seeds for the youngest to plant. The children helped plant and then made lunch. I feel so much better.

I fell in love with Dahlas today. I never really gave them much attention, but, today I found these beautiful white ones.











I don't know the real name of these, we call them paint brush flowers. We put them in the pots every year.












The General really loved these purple flowers. They were called Mystic Blue.

Here is one of the finished containers. We filled two alike and put them on either side of the front door.

Sew Long for Now.

I finished the purple bag yesterday, but, was in a hurry to get to my sewing guild meeting last night that I didn't post the picture.

It is lined with the white fabric with the faint purple flowers. The inside pockets are made of the pansie material. You can't tell in the photo, but, I put some heat set crystals on there because the girl who it is going to likes sparkly things.

Today the General and I stopped by a yard sale! I got this great vintage dresser cloth for $1.

This beautiful embroidery with this tiny crochet edging. I haven't decided what I am going to use it on, but, it is lovely.

Sew Long for Now.

Today is the birthday of two special people in my life. My Momma's birthday is today. It is also the 17th birthday of Captain Cool.

Here he is playing the bass with his senior high singing school at Tanglewood Mall in the music festival. I remember when I first found out I was pregnant. Doctors had told us that we would never have children. When I got pregnant with him they told me he was not viable. I prayed to God pleading for my baby's life. I felt God tell me everything would be ok. I insisted on a second and then third opinion. They tried to get me to have a D&C, I refused. I promised God that if he let me have this child I would raise him for God. We have tried to do our best to raise him as a righteous young man. He is a great young man. He has a work ethic that astounds me. He is very gifted in music. He is self motivated and very intelligent. God has showed him His will for his life and he is trying to follow that. This summer Captain Cool has been accepted to participate in the Air Force Academy's summer seminar. He hopes to attend the AFA. He will also be participating in a mission trip known as Merge with our church in July and then going to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip the end of July into August. There is so much I could say about him. Oh, we have our ups and downs. He is not always the best son and I am not always the best Momma, but, on the most we get along. He is a good son and is devoted to his family.

Well, I have to get ready to go to our ASG meeting. Sew Long for Now.

Yesterday I whiled away my time in self centered pity. The General had to work both morning and night. We had no extra money for me to get him a great gift. I was sad and wanted to do something special. Today I had to kick myself in gear because self pity never does any good. The General and I haven't had the smoothest life. We have had many uphill struggles, the best thing is that we both have learned to compromise and live with it. We have a wonderful life. My Momma always tells me to look around and you can always find some one worse off than yourself.
This evening sewed the strips in this bag, cut out the lining and pockets and sewed the pockets on, and cut out the hands and sewed them.

I also cut out this purple mantel and made it for the customer's statue.














I also finished this gold mantel for her friend's statue.


Sew Long for Now.

In honor of today, twenty reasons why I love the General:

1. You are the handsomest man I ever met.
2. Even though people think you are tough you are really a softy.
3. You spoil me beyond belief.
4. You are a great Dad.
5. You would help anyone who needed it.
6. You have a wicked sense of humor.
7. You work hard and never complain.
8. You make the best fried potatoes and onions.
9. You love God.
10. You are so level headed.
11. You love history.
12. You are fun to be with.
13. You love your family.
14. You spend all your free time with the children and I.
15. You call me several times a day just to talk to me.
16. You always encourage me in my interests.
17. You are always there for me.
18. You put up with a lot.
19. When I need correction you do it gently.
20. You have stayed with me through thick and thin.

There are so many more reasons why I love the General, these are but a few. My prayer is for another 20 years or more of sharing our lives together. Happy 20th Anniversary Dear!

Mondays! Don't you love Mondays? You get to start over, to have a new beginning after a day of rest. This Monday started out on the run. Captain Cool had to be in Vinton by 8 a.m. to help a friend paint their kitchen. This is a 30 minute drive from our home. When I got home Captain Kitty and Captain Chaos had done their chores and were ready to start the day. We did lessons in math, language arts, Bible, and history. By the time we finished it was lunch time and I made our big meal. After lunch I knit on a pair of socks for 1/2 hour and then went to pick up Captain Cool. I have some health issues so I get tired and need a nap almost every day. After I got home Captain Cool had a guitar lesson to give and the General had assigned a report for the other two. I laid down, the guitar lesson was given, and the younger two went on the computer together to research for the paper they had to write. When I got up I altered a dress for a customer. I made a checkbook cover to match my bag.







It is made from one of the materials that I used as a strip














I embroidered my initials on the front.










A new pin cushion I made.


Sew Long for Now.

She also brought me the curtain from her living room.

She had FOUR layers on her living room window. I only have two rods up on this window. One has lace panels on it, we don't have blinds. I wanted to use the valance with the panels, but with just one rod I had to get creative. I sewed the valance to the top of the panels. They are being held back on metal curtain holders. At night I can let them down.







On this smaller window I used the other valance and to make the panels I sewed the four swag pieces together in two sections of two. They are interesting pieces. Each of these four pieces has a rod pocket at the top and bottom. On her window you put the rod through the top of the piece and then twisted it and put the bottom right next to the top. They also have a shear attachment on the back that is made at an angle and when she put the rod through both pockets the shear part would hang down. She got new curtains because she said these were two complicated to put up every fall and spring when she washed them. I took a lot more time than I expected to alter these. They do look better than what was up there.

Sew Long for Now.

My new kitchen curtains.


When my parents came last week my Momma brought me some curtains she used to have in her home. She got some new ones and thought I could do something with these. This was the prettiest lace panel with a matching valance, but, I have two windows in my country kitchen so.... I have been using cafe style curtains in my kitchen and there was enough fabric between the valance and curtain to make two sets of cafe style curtains for my kitchen!




You can see the lace a little better in this picture. It is beautiful lace material!

I got little sewing related done today. I did cut out more strips for another bag. I have a friend graduating from college this week and she loves bags. She also loves purple, so I cut out strips with purple in them. We also went shopping this evening and I picked up some felt in different colors, more pin cushions. Captain Kitty made another one tonight. We had a family portrait done this evening for the church directory. Today Captain Kitty cleaned the bathroom, Captain Chaos swept the kitchen and vaccumed the living room, and I did the dirtiest yuckiest task of all! We live in 1950's brick ranch. Every room has vents in the floor where the heating and a/c comes through. I went through every room and took the vents off and washed them out and vaccumed out the ducts. After a winter of heating, nasty. Tomorrow I have to get more sewing done! I have so many things that need to be caught up!

Sew Long for Now.

My first mini pin cushion

Captain Kitty's first one.

I began to think evening would come and I wouldn't have sewn a thing today. I over slept. I tried to do some lessons with the children. We made it through math. As soon as lunch was done I had to take Captain Cool to a nursing home to sing with his choir. I spent an hour looking for the nursing home. The directions we were given gave a place that is no longer in business as the landmark to look for. Thanks be for cell phones. After dropping him off I picked up some sewing and hurried home because a customer was suppose to pick up some sewing. She hasn't showed up yet. About 2:30 my head ache became a pounding mess again. I took allergy medicine and tylenol. I tried to lay down. All I could think was how messy my file cabinets were and how messy my sewing/craft room was. I got up and started to clean them. I decluttered a lot. I have a huge can full of trash and the flat surfaces in my sewing room are visible. I was thinking while doing this how hard a time I have being creative when things are so messy. I was also thinking how much material I have. I really need to try to use it before I allow any more in. I didn't say buy because quite a lot of my stash has been given to me. I have friends who for some reason buy material then decide they are not going to use and bring it to me. Both of the bags I just made came from all donated material.

After I cleaned everything up I decided to make one of the mini pin cushions I saw on 4:59 a.m.'s blog. I had been saving bottle caps to do this. Captain Kitty and I went looking for felt. For some reason we both thought I had more colors than we found. We followed the instructions on the tutorial and they turned out so cute! We have decided we need to go get a better variety of felt colors and do more. Oh, and some thing good about my day. I had just been telling the General that I needed a new digital camera, one with a macrozoom feature. While trying to take a picture of this cute little pin cushions I discovered my camera does have a macrozoom feature! Go figure, who would have known I should have read the instruction manual! I called the General to excitedly tell him the news. For some reason he just wasn't as joyful about the news as I was! LOL.

Sew Long for Now!

For some reason blogger wouldn't let me put the pictures with that post. Let's try again.

Sew Long For Now!

Today didn't quite go as planned. I woke up with a terrible sinus headache. I took some medicine and vowed to trudge on. By the time the General got home from his morning job I was seeing blurry. The children were all cleaning their rooms so he told me to go to bed and he took over. The next thing I knew it was noon and they were waking me up for lunch. Since the General works evenings our family meal is lunch. The General had grilled burgers and the children had made fries. While I was eating my head was pounding and I felt sick so the General gave me some stronger medicine and sent me back to bed. You know I can't thank God enough for the husband he gave me and the children he has loaned me. They are great and treat me wonderful. By the time the General had to go into his evening job I was feeling better. I still have a feeling of fluid in my one ear, so it might be a sinus infection. I don't really think it is. In the last year or so I seem to have developed allergies. I also have developed an uncanny reaction to the weather. When ever a pressure system for a storm moves through I can tell you it's coming without even watching the weatherman, I get a horrible headache.

The only lessons done today had to do with Awana. The year is ending up. Captain Kitty has finished her book and done all her silver and gold also. She is working on memorizing a bronze pack. She is saying 35 or so verses tonight. Her ability to memorize things just astounds me. I can't remember my name some days, but my daughter can memorize 35 verses in 3 days. Captain Chaos finished his book and is on his last four silver and gold. One of the things he had to do for his was make something for his leader and write a thank you note to him for his help this year. Captain Kitty helped show him how to work the bread machine to make dough. He made French bread dough then got it out and let it rise and baked it in the oven. He had to also figure out a reading schedule to read the book of John in three months. Since he is in 3rd grade it took quite some math skills to figure out how many verses he would have to read a day to finish the 21 chapters of John in 3 months.

On the sewing front, since I did not feel well I decided not to do any work for customers today. I also was itching to work on my purse. I thought through the rest of the process this time. I made the two handles by cutting out 3 inch strips about 28 inches long. Then I folded the sides together and ironed. I unfolded the sides and then folded the edges in to the middle and ironed again. Next I folded the strip back in half on the first fold and then sewed 1/4 inch from the edge on each side of the strip. I used the quilted outside pieces and laid them on a piece of coordinating fabric and cut out lining the same size as the outside. I cut a couple of rectangles from some of the print used in the outside pieces. These became the inside pockets. I cut them double the size I wanted. Then I folded them right sides together and sewed down the sides. I flipped them right sides out and ironed them flat. I top stitched the folded edge. This made self lined pockets. To hide the raw edge bottom I marked where I wanted to put the pockets on the lining fabric and then flipped the pocket rectangle so I was sewing across the raw edge and the pocket was laying upside down from the way i wanted it to go. Next I pressed the pocket piece over this stitching and pinned it where I had marked it to go. Then I sewed it down and marked and sewed the divider seams. I liked the closure that Turkeyfeathers used with her bags so I got out my size 0 crochet needle and some coordinating embroidery floss and crocheted a plain chain the length of about 6 inches. I found a button in my stash I liked. I sewed up the sides and bottom of the outside of the bag and the sides and bottom of the lining. I folded and pinned in 1/2 inch on the top of the outside portion and the lining portion. Then I put the lining in the bag and pinned them together. I placed the handle straps where I wanted them and pinned them between the bag and lining. I made a loop out of the crocheted chain and pinned it to the center of one side between the bag and the lining. Last I top stitched all of it together and then sewed the button on. I love the look of this bag and it was very easy to put together. I can't wait to start another!

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood. Blue skies, nice temps. We cleaned the living room today. Captain Cool worked some more cleaning the basement. The General and I went to vote today. The General had to be at work at 5 a.m. this morning because our church was used as a voting place. That wouldn't have been so bad, but, he didn't get home from work until 11:30 last night. I tried to keep things quiet and let him have a long nap between jobs today. Math, language arts, Awana, science, and reading out loud were all done today. We even got in a walk. Captain Cool had his finals in his community college class. He took pre-cal this semester. The teacher checked it while he was there. He got an A on the test and an A in the class.

I hemmed a pair of pants, a skirt, and a dress for a customer today. I also quilted the purse pieces. I learned something; do not put heavy stabilizer on first before quilting if you want it to have that puffy quilted look. Mine just looks like rows of stitching. I am going to finish this bag and do another one where I quilt it with the batting first and then put the stabilizer on. Some times I just don't think through projects. I need to put it on another color to take the pictures. The colors are not coming out to their correct hue on this background. Tomorrow I have to pick up some sewing from a blind lady I do work for. I hope to put the pieces together, make a handle and work on the lining. Tomorrow night I have to take the children to Awana so we will see how much I get done.

Sew Long for Now.

What a beautiful day it has been! I love it when it is not too hot and the sky is so blue and the trees are so green! Candy for the eyes!

The concert was great! I didn't get any pictures to turn out though. Saturday I spent most of the day outside with my husband cleaning up our front porch. The deck looks nice now and I have a canopy up to sit under. This afternoon I had tea out there. It was lovely.

Sunday I was tired and so I just knitted and crocheted.

Today I tried to get our life back in order after the last several months. We spent time this morning cleaning the laundry room/basement. We got math, language arts, Awana, geography, and reading out loud done. We also went for a walk after lunch. This afternoon I altered a skirt and pair of pants for a customer. Then I put together the strips for my new bag. Tomorrow I hope to quilt them. I am so excited about this project. I think I needed a new project to inspire me. I love the world of blogs, because I have gotten so much inspiration from so many people!

Sew Long for Now!