Completed Projects

I finished some projects this weekend. Remember the "Young Detectives" costume my daughter Amber wanted. This was in the new Martha Stewart Halloween magazine. Well here is the cape.......

This turned out really nice! In fact I'm thinking I need one too. With different fabric of course. Here is a closeup of the fabric.

Here is the cap.

The dog coat is pretty small, but I didn't have much fabric left. I bought the amount the Martha Stewart magazine suggested, unfortunately I forgot that I was making a larger size adult cape. Duh!


Max didn't want to co-operate for the picture taking. He didn't seem to mind wearing the cape though. It was shipped by Priority Mail today - should be there just in time for Halloween! She better email me a picture with her wearing it!

I finished my project from two years ago, that I found in the closet. Orange felt circles were stitched around the edge

and faux fall leaves hot glued on.


It became a placemat for Thanksgiving or any fall inspired event.

I'm not sure I'm loving it. I like it, but it may be better as a hot pad in the center of the table. Sometimes I have to live with things for awhile before I decide it I really like it.

Be back soon!

The Results Are In!

Well, the cheer team placed 4th (out of 8 teams). They did really good in the competition and I am surprised that they didn't place higher. Here they are with their trophy.

I know I am biased, I have never been a cheer leader, I don't know how they score in the competitions, but I think they deserved better than 4th place!

They did their routine perfectly each time and managed to hold the signs up in the correct direction. A major deal to me (a non-judge biased Mom). No one was dropped during the stunts either. Another major deal to me (a non-judge biased Mom).

Oh well life goes on! I am just proud of all the hard work and determination of the coaches and cheer leaders. The school's motto is "Do Your Best" and I think they did that last night.

You can't see any of my hair bows in the picture above! Boo Hoo - all the time I put into them. They looked really cute in the french braids though!


Jessie did tell me today that everyone loved the hair bows, they even wore them to school today. (Except her of course)

I am off to work on laundry and my 2 year work in process.

.....or I may go to bed early!

Be back soon!

I am in Ribbon Hell.....................

.........and I can't get out! The cheerleading coach asked me if I would cut some ribbon for the Cheerleading competition for bows. She gave me the ribbon in two sizes. That's when I opened my big mouth!

"Do you want the bows attached to a hair band already?"

"That would be great!" she said.

I don't know why I said that! I am so not a bow maker! Drives me crazy trying to get the loops even etc, etc. Even trying to decide how to do them was stressful!


Yes that is my glass of wine helping me deal with the stress of it all! I tried to con hubby into helping.

"Real men help make hairbows!" I said.

His response: "No they don't!" and proceeded to walk out of the room before he was talked into anything.

I managed to make 15 last night of the smaller ribbon.


All the cheerleaders are having their hair french braided after school today.

Jessie came up after I completed these and said "You only have 15. You should at least make 16."

"I have one for each cheerleader, and I will make 15 large ribbons, so then they can decide what size they want to use" I defended myself.

"Yes, but some cheerleaders are going to do two french braids, so you need an even number."

Uhhh! Ohhh! Don't ask me why it never occourred to me that they would have two french braids! So now I have been working on them at work instead of payroll returns.

I am making bows until I am out of ribbon, or time! Hopefully they will do well in the competition tonight!

Be back soon!

This Weekend.......

Well, I didn't get to work on or finish the Detectives Costume this weekend. I was running around all weekend with Jessie's activities on Friday night and Saturday.

Sunday I had to go grocery shopping and laundry. I did make some cookies on Sunday though - Death by Chocolate. Delicious!!!


.......... and to make my husband happy, I made a batch with some walnuts.

While putting some things up today, I found a project from about two years ago that I need to finish. I can finish this project while watching the news, so I brought it downstairs to work on during the week.

Hopefully I will be able to show you a completed item tomorrow.

I have another busy week with Jessie's cheerleading. Besides practice they are having a competition on Wednesday night.

Be back soon!

Detectives Costume

I am working on the Young Detectives Costume for my daughter Amber. It of course will be for a not so young person.LOL!!! This is in the Martha Stewart Halloween magazine. I found some hats at Walmart marked down to $1.00 for two. Unfortunately they were white. I bathed them in Rit Dye and that is the beginning of the hat.

The beginnings of the hat. This looks like a pretty simple costume. I hope to be through by the weekend, and in the mail it will go!

Looking better, but I need to take my steamer to them. That's what I get for leaving them in the dryer too long!

Hopefully it will end up looking something like this:

Here's another picture:

Ohh................She wants one for her dog Matlock too!

Be back soon!

Even Though I've Been Sick......

.......I have still been doing things. I am doing better now, just a nasty cough left over. The weather keeps changing, which always makes me sick.

This is my kitchen table. This picture was taken last weekend. I was working on several projects at once. I completed my vintage Halloween inspired pennants. That black Rit Dye in the picture is for a project from the Martha Stewart Halloween magazine for my daughter Amber. More on that in a later post.

I love these pennants! I made four for me!


I really need to take pictures during the day. The pictures come out so much better! I will use two in the dining room, one for the fireplace mantle and one for the staircase. Hopefully I will be able to decorate for Halloween this weekend!

I did do some thrifting in this week, while Jessie was at cheerleading practice. I went to look for some books by Iris Johanson. I read a book by her on my "Mom and Sister's" weekend, while in the airport. I am hooked. She writes mystery novels with a little romance thrown in. I found three of her books at the Goodwill.

This is the one I am reading now. Addictive!

I also found this book..................

Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. This is a very large book that retails for $45.00. It is in like new condition and only $2.99! What a deal! Even the cashier at the Goodwill was jealous! I had thumbed through this book at the bookstore before and knew I wanted it.

I also found a bunch of Pottery Barn Kids pink gingham sheets. I use these in a lot of sewing projects, so this was a great find. They looked like they were brand new, just out of the package.

That's a lot of yardage!

Be back soon!

My Friends

Still not feeling well. These two are some of my constant friends right now.


They aren't my only friends though. I have more. See........


A 1972 copy of Southern Living Party Cookbook. I have only tried one recipe from this book, but it was great! I love to try new recipes and have been meaning to bookmark more for testing. Unfortunately, every time I pick it up I get sleepy.......

And to my little sister Vicki - the Vodka immunization/regimen didn't work!

I know you are going to give me all the reasons why it didn't. I wasn't on it long enough, I forgot a day or two, but I don't want to be sick!

While on Sister's weekend, Vicki said she had had great success with this Vodka regimen. She used to get colds all the time, until she heard about this and tried it. Now she is healthy as can be! No colds, no sniffles, etc, etc. - all that wonderful stuff that she lied about! I know I was only on this for 5 days, but that alcohol should have done something!

You are supposed to have a splash - not a shot glass full, just a tiny bit, mixed with water in a shot glass three times a day, for three weeks. Then you do this once every night after that. Vicki is a non-drinker and she swears by this. Since I came down with this COLD, I haven't been taking my "Medicine".

Time for a nap!

Be back soon!

Surprise Visit and I need Nyquil!

We had a surprise visit on Saturday evening from our daughter Amber. She lives in Virginia and she showed up on our front porch Saturday evening. Her husband and her were unexpectedly in town for a funeral.

She decided to surprise her little sister Jessie and celebrate her birthday. (Jessie's birthday was on Monday)


She put candles in a slice of cheesecake and sang to her! She came bearing gifts too! After the gifts were opened the two of them went shopping for Jessie's "Neon Dance" coming up soon.

Soo cute! I can't believe how quick they put together this outfit! I would still be wandering around the mall! I am definately not a mall person.

Then they played with glitter eye makeup! Ugh! I will be finding this in my kitchen for Years!

Thanks Amber, for making a little girl's 14th birthday even more special! She loved it and I loved seeing my girl's together, giggling, laughing and having a great time!

I gave Amber some Halloween goodies for her office. A pennant to hang in her office cubicle and one for home.

A "BOO" sign. I had made two of them.


She loved the fact that it could be used year round. HUH? I forgot that Amber and her husband call each other "Boo".

A Halloween decorated candy jar and hand sanitizer.

We'll see if it actually makes it to her office!

I have a bad cold and I am out of Nyquil and Dayquil. I am totally unprepared for the winter season!

Be back soon!

A Quick Halloween Project

I bought this package of black glittery "Boo"letters from Halloween about a month ago at Joann's.


They were in the $1.00 bins right at the front checkouts. It came with a black ribbon to hang it up with.

I have seen this project all over blogland, for every season, so I copied! I had a frame already. I am sure it was from some project I never got to. I had some scrap paper left over from another project. That's all I needed, besides a glue stick and glue dots.

The black border around the edge was actually divided into 3 sections, I just cut off the dividers.
I wish the photographer could have captured the glittery "Boo" letters, and not gotten a picture with glare on the glass. I think it's time to look for a new photographer!

That's the start of my Halloween decorating. Hopefully, I will get a lot done this weekend!

I sat it on the mantle and the photographer, again, took a bad picture!

So simple, so cute and so easy!

Be back soon!

Busy, Busy...........

You see this orange pennant? It was driving me crazy! I couldn't find it when I was putting together the other "Vintage Feel" pennants. I always have nine, where is it??? What could I have done with it? After 30 minutes, I gave up and substituted something else. I had to rearrange my whole pattern, but I got it done!

Well, apparently Patrick, the new dog in the house, scooped it up when it fell on the floor and took it to the scrap basket under my sewing table. That's where he lays when I am in my sewing room. He has a dog bone buried in there and he was digging for it tonight and guess what he pulled out?

At least I know I am sane! I knew I had nine of that pattern! Things like that make you think your going crazy though.

I went to Joann's this afternoon. I had two coupons that I had to use soon! I have been on a buying freeze, trying to use what I have, but I needed two items. I needed fabric for the Goldilocks costume and black and white houndstooth for my older daughters "Young Detective" costume from the new Martha Stewart Halloween magazine. She desperately needs it! And her dog needs one too! Just like the picture.

See, I got exactly what I needed.

Then I decided to wander to the remnant racks. Just to look. I found the cutest fabric:


Isn't it adorable? No idea what I will do with it. I'm sure something will come to mind soon!

I spent the evening creating a new car stash. Jessie has a busy week. She is cheering Wednesday and Thursday afternoon and another game on Saturday. Lots of idle hand time.


Do you see my fancy turners on top? They work great! I actually cut more, I just ran out of time to serge the edges.

That colorful thing in the background is Miss Jessie's and her friend's balloon car for a science project. It is powered by a double balloon. I am impressed! I would be more impressed if she cleaned up the counter but that's another matter.

Be back soon!