Sewing Machines

When my mom comes to visit she always tells me that my basement is messy and wants to know why we have so much stuff there. I have to carefully explain that we don't have three storage buildings and have to put our stuff somewhere. While at her house last week she wanted me to help her clean out just one of her storage buildings. While doing so I happened to notice a red box with a handle. I just stood there for a few minutes and looked at it, I had no idea that it was still around. It was my very first

sewing machine!! All of these years I had thought that my mom had either sold it or given it away. I got it for Christmas one year, neither of us can remember exactly when, I think I was about 6. I can remember being so excited that I had my very own sewing machine, and could sew just like my mom. When I opened the case it looked exactly as I remembered. The only thing that is missing is the instruction manual, and I remember there was a little red needle threader, it is also missing. I made sure that I brought it home with me and it will have a place of honor in my sewing room. This brings the total number of machines in my sewing room up to 5. I have a Featherweight that I take to classes, a New Home that my mom and dad gave me when I graduated from high school, a Janome, and a serger.

Don't forget to laugh today!!!

"Laugh often, Dream big, Reach for the stars"

Today is Moment of Laughter Day, yes, there is such a day. When I first saw that I thought what a great idea. Most of us, myself included, don't have enough laughter in our lives. I am sitting her thinking about the last time I had a good, all the way down to my toes laugh and it has been a while. Yes I chuckle or maybe even giggle at least once a day, but a good belly busting laugh I don't remember the last time. I am going to have to remedy that, laughter is good for all of us. Laughter makes our problems seem not quite so large and easier to deal with, it makes you live longer, and makes you happy. Don't forget to laugh today.

Spring Break with Mom

This last week was our spring break and as I usually do, I headed to Mississippi. I try to spend at least part of the week with her. Since my dad died, she gets very lonesome and looks forward to me coming home. She had lots of odd jobs for me to do around the house, mostly yard work. We spent one entire day working in her yard picking up sticks and small branches. Since my

mom lives in the country we piled all of the sticks and branches up and had a huge fire. We both thought about my dad, his nickname was "Firebug". He loved to burn things. We also spent a lot of time just doing little odd things, taking "stuff" to goodwill, running errands, cleaning gutters, moving her plants outside and some house cleaning. My mom has a huge yard and her lilac bushes were in full bloom along with her wisteria. The wisteria above is right by her drive way. My mom loves working outside and has beautiful plants, she also has quite a few pieces of yard art, the statue of the angel is "Karen" named after the person who gave it to her.
I got back to Atlanta on Thursday night, with my home to do list in mind. Of course, I have done only one thing on my list, buy shoes. I needed new shoes in the worst way, I now have four new pair of shoes. After shoe shopping yesterday and all day today I have helped hubby do yard work. I had really wanted to clean my sewing room and do some sewing, guess that will have to wait.

Tie-Dyed Eggs

I don't have kids but that doesn't stop me from wanting to dye Easter Eggs. I always make an Easter basket for my husband and he loves hard boiled eggs, so I usually make some for his basket. I usually go the traditional route with dye from the store. This year I decided to try something new that I had read about, dyeing eggs using silk ties. I first saw this on Martha Stewart's website, (yes, I check it out fairly often), then I heard a friend at school talking about it, so I decided why not.

I only had three old ties, so I was limited to the number of eggs that I could dye. You first wrap the eggs in pieces of the old tie, then I used muslin to wrap the eggs.

You put the eggs in a pan to boil with 3 tablespoons

of vinegar. They are to boil for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes you remove them from the

boiling water and let them cool before you unwrap them. They turned out OK, I don't think that I had the silk wrapped tight enough around the eggs in the muslin. I also found that the darker the colors in the tie the better it transferred. My hubby was extremely impressed, so I feel it was a successful craft adventure.

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!!!

Easter in an Elementary School

There is nothing like a holiday in an elementary school. Today is the last day before we get out for Spring Break so all of the classes are having their Spring Parties. Most of the classes are having Easter Egg Hunts and celebrating Easter. One of the Kindergarten classes brought me a special Easter basket filled with goodies. I have the best job ever!!!

Star Crazy for March

I almost didn't get the March blocks completed, but I was determined. I really like the fabrics that I have selected. The rust fabric isn't actually as dark as it looks in the photos, it might be a little too dark, but I am not starting over. I can't wait to see how all of the blocks are going to look when finished.

Great Way to Spend a Sunday Afternoon

Yesterday I had the best time with a group of my sewing friends. Pat from Silver Thimble had arranged a special applique class taught by Wanda Hizer. It was a great class. I have done some applique in the past, but have never taken a class. What I know I had picked up from books or from watching friends. I learned so much yesterday, Wanda is a great teacher. I

was totally amazed by her applique. You should have seen the bird's eyes that she did, they were minuscule, and I do mean minuscule. She taught several different techniques, needle turn, reverse applique, cut away, a starch technique, and a technique with glue. I liked the needle turn and the starch method. I can see myself using both of those techniques in the future.

Debbie and Pat were on their best behavior, working very hard on their hearts.

Becky is showing off her needle turned heart. It looked great! Of course after the class we had to head upstairs to Little Quilts and do some shopping. As you know from previous postings, I am on a fabric diet, I stuck to it. I bought some silk thread for applique, some needles, and some pre-printed quilt labels. No fabric came home with me yesterday.