February 23, 2009

First Losers Monday and Other Fun Information

I must say, that although last week was a very unusual week I was pleasantly surprised that I actually lost 1 pound! I certainly didn't eat as I should that's for sure. But as it goes I've lost another one of the pounds that I gained during the holidays. So, I will take losing it any which way.
Also, no sewing done at all! Besides that... I went to take pictures of my sewing room, and wouldn't you know, the battery on my camera died.
I had e-mailed Sharon (at Red Geranium Cottage) and asked if I could join the Losers Group, she graciously said that I could. Well after I tried to figure out how to get the little diet girl onto my blog, (which I was hopeless at!) I gave up! I wrote back and told her the situation and she sent me the picture and well miracles do happen; I figured it out! So, check it out... she is down on the side bar a bit... but her sad little face is there!



So, about last week. On Thursday at around 11:30 a.m. or so I had heard sirens. I saw that our neighbors house was on Fire! I ran over to the policeman and asked if anyone had been contacted? And no one had. So then started the efforts of trying to get a hold of the people who lived there. I called all sorts of people, information (I couldn't remember the names of the business's that they both worked for) and then called several people to ask them if they could remember where they worked. Finally like a big Jigsaw Puzzle it all fell into place and they were called. As it happens, these people don't actually own the place. So lesson one learned, share your work # with friends/neighbors... so you can be contacted. It's a rental! Another lesson, if you rent have rental insurance! These friends did not have any! So sad to see, I'm not one who enjoys watching a fire in this type of situation. It's amazing to see how many people are drawn to a fire! All in all it was very disheartening to see the people who lived there, our friends, our neighbors loose what they thought was everything! She mentioned that they had had family scripture study that morning. And normally they would take their scriptures back to their rooms. The all left them on the table in the living room. She was wondering if they would even be able to find them! Sure enough, the had some smoke damage but none of them were burned! Really quite a miracle if you were to have seen the house! Also, since there was a lot more fire/smoke damage to the master bedroom, she was concerned that her brand new Serger would be lost. Her son was just walking by us as she was telling me this... (the day after the fire) and he overheard what she had said. He calls back, mom, your serger is fine! It's in the truck! Amazing really!
A bunch of us wanted to help so we took home clothing, lines, quilts etc... that could be washed. The process isn't like regular clothes washing because you have smoke and soot to clean out of the item. We were recommended to use 1 cup Tide detergent, and 1 cup Ammonia. And then you don't dry stuff in the dryer... (and as long as when you take things out of the washer they smell good) you hang them to dry outside. That's to air dry them. Also if they don't have all the smoke smell out of them... then you re-wash everything with Tide and ammonia etc.... It's quite the process alright, but nice to know that they will not have lost everything. I imagine that it's nice to have your own things back to bring a semblance or the normal. All the dry cleanable stuff is going to a Dry Cleaners "4-C Laundry and Cleaners" in town. I hope that they will be able to get the soot and smoke smell out. Otherwise, it would be like a permanent camping trip. And of course there are good and bad with that.

Thanks for the comments about my family... aren't they cute! And that's only part of them. The rest don't have kids, but that will happen when they are ready.
Here is a pic of the "grands" and the quilts that my SIL... made for each one! As soon as she knew there was the possibility that our DD and her DH would get the kids for sure... she started in on them. The oldest already had his! He thinks it's wonderful! Because his other grandma has her own quilting business, and my SIL makes them for all the grandnieces/nephews... I figured I could help out with other things.
Hope everyone has a great week. Maybe I will be able to get a new battery (if I remember) and also get to some sewing/UFO's.
Don't forget to pick up those dropped pins... better to find them right away then to wait to find them another day, and another way! Ouch!!!!!

February 18, 2009

I've Joined The "Losers"

And no, I've haven't developed low self esteem! I've decided that the only way I'm going to get back on track to losing weight again is to join a group of people who won't let me forget it! The Monday Losers! If you go to see Sharon's blog at

Red Geranium Cottage. You will see what I've talking about. When I get where I can actually post the cute little logo she has of a little girl looking at hmmmm something (at this moment I can't recall what she is looking at... hey it's 5:14 a.m.!) but I do know that she is actually dreaming of chocolate! I will post it as soon as I can into a side bar! Last Summer my 3 daughters and I started working together and well we only got so far. I kept up until around Christmas, losing a total of 25 #'s.... which is good. I started at..... "gulp" 189 pounds. And I did gain back 4 of it over the holidays, but I'm willing; no make that DETERMINED, to make my goal of at least 135 pounds. Hey if my Aunt P. can do it... (and she is in her hmmmm 80's I believe!) what have I got to lose... no pun intended. Cause I do have more to lose! That's for sure! O.K. a little more sleep, and then off to work out! Besides the fact that getting rid of the weight will do wonders for my moral, I will better be able to enjoy myself, and my family! So, o.k. who out there is with me? Or am I just talking to the page? Oh, I know one of my daughters is very determined! DD #2 started a Boot Camp last week. She lost 4 pounds.... WAY TO GO HONEY!!!!! Your doing Wonderful!
What they make them do is amazing! She had to wear a 25# vest and do all the exercises with this on last week. So, 5 days of work out, either after work, or in Fridays case since they don't have an evening class, she went b/4 work! Mind you, at like 5 am . WAY TO HANG IN THERE GIRL! We Love You! Oh, and on Sunday, it was DD #2's Birthday too! So, her trainer/hmmm do they call him a Drill Sargent? I mean they called them Company Commanders when I went to Boot Camp! Yes... "Real Boot Camp"! In the Navy! She told him it was her birthday, and he wanted to know how many pieces of cake she was going to have! She told him just one, he was making her accountable! But she got to go back and tell him that yes, she only had one... mind you it was Angel Food Cake too w/strawberries and w/no fat Cool Whip! I know, I'm here for you kiddo! You did good!
Oh, and yes... equal time to my other kids, we love you guys/girls too! Oh, and let us not forget the grand kids!
Have I showed you pic's of my grand kids???
O.K. don't want to go through withdrawal and all. Aren't they cute! I mean really can you get much cuter than that?
Alright, so on Monday I got a call from my friend Karma... she is such a sweetie. And we spent the afternoon with her daughter Sally and her granddaughter Alissa over at another daughters house.
She showed me the elder daughters sewing room. It was beautiful, you know, one of those rooms above the garage... all by it's self! Just neat to see different people's methods of storage and all.
Sharon over at Red Geranium Cottage mentioned that sometimes it's just hard to be creative and tidy! And I really agree. If we are worried about keeping things tidy all the time, how does one get anything done! But to tell you the truth, my space is sooo jam packed with so much stuff! Granted, not all if material, the ironing is in there too, and of course mending! That it does get hard to work in there if I have a mess! If, I guess I mean "when", cause honey... I mostly always have a mess! So, maybe I will post pic's of my "mess"! Some before and after, hmmmm, I guess that does mean that I have to clean/tidy after I take the before don't I?
What does your sewing area, room, lab, space look like? I'm just throwing this out there... cause I can!

February 12, 2009

And last but not least, these are the pictures of the quilt that we made for my DH sister who recently got married. DH is in the background holding it up! And you know he volunteered to do this. What a sweetheart! The back is made of Sherpa fleece. I made one of these for one of his sisters who since she had cancer years ago just couldn't keep warm. Ever since then it seems that we have been making them for family members. One year the first SIL's family would fight over the one I made so she ended up making them for all 4 or her kids. Guess that's what happens. We shall see if this SIL has to do the same. LoL
O.K. so hopefully now I can calm down with the pictures a bit.








February 11, 2009



O.K. GIRLS.... HERE IS THE SKIRT I MADE FOR MY DIL... SIMPLE. THIS IS THE SKIRT THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE A JACKET TO GO WITH IT FOR HER BIRTHDAY! LET'S JUST HOPE THAT SHE DOESN'T READ THIS!

My First Picture



This is the jumper that I made for my little grand daughter for Christmas! Ta-Da!!!!! I know, this is soooo coool! Finally pictures! I'm outta the dark age!

Stay tuned! Your going to be sooo bored, seeing all I have to show you! LoL....

February 9, 2009

Who Are The "They's" Of The World?

Time as "they" say waits for no man! Hmmm, o.k. who are "they"? Any ideas?
Because one of these days, I would like to meet "them"! It seems like "they" are the ones that cause a lot of trouble to my mind! "They" say that it's up to us to do our best in life! Mind you, there are just days... that well, my best just isn't making it! And what happens when we don't? Not to stress you out or anything, this is just how my brain works sometimes! We have a cute little music gal at church (we work with the kids in Primary) she was saying that her brain was just not working. And then she cracked me up! She said, "I guess it's because I'm around all those little boy's (I think she has 3 or 4, 5 counting her hubby!) stinky socks!" Too funny! I only had 1 boy, 2 counting my hubby, but one son's socks were enough! You know, stuff happens! Boys just can have problems (girls too... and we have 3! Yes, girls... you know who you are!) because sometimes they didn't always get picked up as they should! Their job! Not mine!



So, I was thinking that I should check out how many UFO's I have. And well, as ashamed as I am to admit it here... I figure if I do then it will motivate me to finish them up or some how use them in other projects. O.K. I just went back to the sewing room and .................... GULP!!!! THERE ARE 30 UFO'S. Mind you these are the projects that I started and somewhere between lay out, cut out, and finish.... just didn't make it to the finish line! So, I working on one right now, it's a set of cut little adorable snow people he/she. And well this is the #1 UFO! I'm thinking that maybe I can have anyone (family, friends... blog stalkers) that wants too just nudge me once and a while with a comment about how are the UFO'S coming etc... this will be a big help! I love to cut them out, (projects) and try to use up all the little odds and ends of fabric so as not to waste anything. My problem is that I start to do that, I get all excited about starting something, and bang!!! It's late or I need to get something else done or what have you and I get distracted! Maybe I should open a business where I cut out people projects, and then they sew them! What do you think? Would you pay someone to do such a thing? Just a thought. Oh, and well I also have several tasks that people (family) have asked me to do. I need to alter a dress for one of my girls, mend a pair of pants for a SIL, and alter 3 dress shirts for my FIL. Always something... see... what I mean!
So, as I said, there are 2 snow people. They are made out of Sherpa fleece, and the bodies are ready to go. I stuffed one and then sewed it closed and the head is almost done too. She has a cute little orange carrot for a nose, two little tiny beads for her eyes, and an embroidered mouth. I made her a cute little white fleece shawl and a red hat with a dark red flower and a green button to pull it together. I still need to attach her head to her body... you know as "they" say... she would loose her head if it weren't sewn on! Also need to sew on the hat... I figure that the grandkids might get a hold of her and well... we don't want her to be indesent or anything! Mr. snow people is well... sort of hmmm, well FLAT! Poor guy, no stuffing, no face, I did cut out his hat (sort of a top hat affair) w/a black and white plaid hat band and a yellow star to dress him up a bit. Oh, his hat is black also. I made him a white fleece scarf to keep "the chill off", cause we don't want him catching a cold or any of this nasty flu! But right now he is just looking all whimpy.... o.k. so now I feel guilty. Back to work! Hmmmmm, right after I do the bills!