Monday, March 21, 2016

MONDAYS WRAP UP AND SEWING NEWS


I hope you all had a good week-end.  We did for sure. But before I tell you about that let me back up a few days and catch you up on a couple of other things.  First, last Thursday it just so happened that my grand daughter Lindsey was playing in a high school softball game at a school not hardly five minutes from us so of course we couldn't miss that.  Hubby was able to get away early and go too and we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  They did lose unfornately, but Lindsey played a great game at shortstop.  That was Melody's position on her travel ball team so I am WELL antiquated with that spot. It's funny how something can bring you back to a time that was so long ago so easily.  Seems like just yesterday I sat watching those games and enjoying every minute even though it was MANY years ago now.  Hopefully we will be able to catch another one or two before the season is over.

Earlier in the week I had decided to try my hand at another "softie" design.  This time it was a hedgehog.  Let me just say this...I was VERY unhappy with the way they were finishing their seams in this project, and actually wrote a note to the design spot to see if maybe I was not reading something right.  She assured me that I was, and that the way they finish their seams makes it look like it is NOT professionally made...or "mass produced" is the way she put it, and that they strive for that home made look.  I told her I understood to a degree, but that truthfully I like a more polished finish, and I certainly didn't want anything unraveling.  Needless to say the hedgehog never did get made, and I found myself back at the drawing board looking for another design.  I ended up with the cutest little giraffe you ever saw.  His ears and his antlers were made out of felt, and I made him too out of the pink fleece I used on the owl.  I decided to do her in pink and purples to go with the color theme of the nursery, but after I got that first one made I decided that I didn't really like the purple thread I used around her muzzle, and I really wished I had made her tail purple.  Sooooo I did her over again making all the changes I wanted to.  I will admit it was a bit fanatical, and that I can be a bit OCD at times, but I was sooo glad I did when I saw how much better she looked. It's really a good thing that I have all of these things on hand, or it could get both wearisome and pricey to do things over again.  Let me show you what I mean.

THE ONE ON YOUR LEFT IS THE ONE I AM GOING WITH....I SOFTENED HER FACE BY MAKING HER MUZZLE OUTLINE A SOFT PINK, AND I LEFT THE MANE I MADE OUR OF RIBBON OFF COMPLETELY.  I CHANGED HER TAIL TO PURPLE  [can't see the other ones tail, but it was the same color as her mane] AND TIED A BIG PURPLE BOW AROUND HER NECK.  MUCH BETTER DON'T YOU THINK?
SOO SWEET.  STANDING THERE BESIDE THE KLEENEX BOX YOU GET AN IDEA OF HOW BIG SHE IS, OR SHOULD I SAY LITTLE?

MATCHES HER OWL BUDDY WELL I THINK
I decided I needed one more to make three altogether, so I began searching again after the giraffe was done to my liking, and came up with an elephant for the final one.  I was a little hesitant to make this one as not only was she quilted on one side, she had eyelashes that were 3 dimensional as well, lol.  I thought she was adorable though so I gave it a whirl.  I decided to use the furry white fabric that I had intended to use on the hedgehog on her flip side, which looking back I wish I hadn't done.  My girls all assured me that they LOVED the white fabric so I left her that way.  Let me show you...

THERE SHE IS....LOL

LOOK AT THOSE EYELASHES!  COMPLETELY MADE OUT OF THREAD!  YOU SIMPLY RIPPED OUT THE BOBBIN STITCHES AND THEN TRIMMED UP THE THREAD OF HER LASHES, AND TA DA..THERE THEY WERE!  SOO CUTE I THOUGHT!.  YOU CAN SEE THE QUILTING ON HER TOO IN THIS PIC

AND HERE SHE IS WITH HER FRIENDS.....
So finally here we are to last Friday.  I decided I was going to make cosmetic bags "in the hoop" as gifts for our shower games and I was downright excited to get started.  I had LOTS of fabric scraps to get started with, and got to work as quickly as I could Friday morning.  But by lunch time I was COMPLETELY frustrated, perplexed and had decided that I was about the dumbest thing around. NO MATTER WHAT I DID I could not figure out the directions.  And every time there was something "wrong" and there was a hole somewhere, something was upside down, backwards, or just "off" and I was dangerously close to throwing in the towel.  Now I have made cosmetic bags with my regular sewing machine WITHOUT A PATTERN AND ANY SIZE I WANTED numerous times, SURELY I could figure out this "in the hoop" one as well.  lol.  So after my lunch and a brief rest I was back at it DETERMINED to get it right....NOPE! By the time hubby got home at 5 I was still sitting there with a mess all around me and not a single bag even half way right, and not exactly in a very good mood either, lol.  Soo glad I am married to who I am as he knows me very, very well.  "Time to step away from the machine Deb, lets just bbq some steaks and you can maybe look at it again tomorrow,cuz you KNOW you'll figure it out."  Sooo reluctantly and defiantly I LEFT THE WHOLE MESS [sooooo not me, just ask my kids.  I am sure they would have thought I must be sick, lol!] just sitting there, and sat down and enjoyed a delicious steak while watching American Idol that we had taped the night before with my wonderful husband who had me in a much better mood pretty quickly. The next morning I FORCED myself to walk by the mess and sat and had our "coffee time" as we always do on Sat. mornings.  We leisurely chatted and planned our day and AGAIN I walked by the mess without a glance.  First stop?  Hubby insisted we go by the sewing machine shop and pick up the embroidery bobbin that I needed.  I told you I am pretty sure, that mine has been broken for months, but that I could get it to work though it was getting worse and worse.  Now I did fix the on and off button for the embroidery machine and had my machine serviced as well, but I had left the broken bobbin as I couldn't bear to pay the eighty dollars they wanted for a new one.  But hubby decided I didn't need that frustration anymore and it was time.  I was grateful I will admit.  Then, we went to "our theater" and caught a before noon showing of Miracles from Heaven.  All I can say is Jennifer Garner was just fantastic in it!  I was LIVING it with her.  I think I might have cried from the beginning clear through till the end!  It was an inspiring movie and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.
After that we hit Joannes [I was out of zippers...but let's not go there] and a couple of other things, and then we popped by Macy's for a while and then finished up with some grocery shopping.  I knew I was pushing my knees more then I should be for comfort, so I came home and took some Tylenol and iced them for a while.  Sat. night I woke briefly to use the bathroom and after getting back into bed my mind started up [always a mistake in the middle of the night!] when suddenly it occurred to me what I thought the directions had been trying to say [in a very poor way I might add! lol] and it took every ounce of my self control not to get up right then and there and try those dumb bags again. But I did fall back to sleep faster then I thought I might and Sunday afternoon I was finally back in front of the machine again.  Within an hour and a half I had successfully made BOTH bags, lol.  First of all, not only were the directions VERY POORLY written, she had given the WRONG dimensions on the two final pieces of fabric you were supposed to use.  Once I figured out the directions, and cut the RIGHT size pieces it was SUPER SUPER easy to make.  I am going to write her a brief note and tell her my findings this morning too.  Though truthfully the shop is a German one and I am not sure she even reads or speaks English as I had to push "interpret" in order to print the directions in English. Which I guess as I type this I am thinking that is probably where the mistakes came from....the interpreter, lol.  Don't think I will be using a non English speaking shop again.  After I finished the bags I dutifully cleaned up that GIANT mess and now this morning I can sit back down there and continue on my list.  I am running DANGEROUSLY close of running out of time so I will have to be diligent. Maybe not as many "break times" or I won't get done.  Let me show you the bags even though they are to be the prizes at the shower.  I don't think anyone from my family who will be potential winners of these bags even reads my blog anyway, lol.

TA DA!  LOL  CERTAINLY LOOKS LIKE NO BIG DEAL I KNOW....THE SOFT GREY WAY PERFECT TO EMBROIDER ON AND I USED THE GOLD METALLIC THREAD I STILL HAD FROM CHRISTMAS

THE LINING OF THE BAG MATCHES IN BLACKS, GOLDS, AND GREYS.  THE NEW BOBBIN MADE THESE EVEN EASIER, SO BIG BIG THANKS TO HUBBY!

AND BAG NUMBER 2....I LOVED ALL THE COLORS IN THIS ONE


NOT A VERY GOOD LOOK AT THE LINING OF THIS ONE, BUT IT'S THE BEST I GOT.  THESE BAGS WERE VERY ADDICTIVE TO MAKE, AND I SEE MANY MANY MORE OF THEM IN THE FUTURE.  AND! I AM PRETTY SURE I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO "TRICK" THE MACHINE SO I CAN CHANGE UP THE DESIGN THAT IS ON THE FRONT OF THEM SO I CAN EMBROIDER WHATEVER I LIKE THERE AS WELL.  IF [AND THAT'S A BIG IF] I HAD THE TIME I'D DO THAT NOW BECAUSE IT'S ALL I CAN DO NOT TO TRY IT THIS MORNING, LOL

I FOUND THESE LITTLE CHARM ZIPPER PULLS ON LINE YESTERDAY AND ORDERED A COUPLE OF THEM FOR THE BAGS.  I WILL PROBABLY THROW A LITTLE PURSE SIZED LOTION AND/OR SANITIZER IN THE BAGS AS WELL TO FINISH THEM OFF.  THE BAGS ARE THE PERFECT SIZE FOR HOLDING THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ALONG WITH A LIPSTICK AND A COMPACT I THINK AND POPPING IT INTO YOUR PURSE.  I ACTUALLY WANT ONE MYSELF, LOL.  WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE BETTER?  

Welp, it is time to get off of here and get cracking...I've lots on my list today.  Hope you all have a good week and find the Lord's joy all around you.  Many blessings to you, Debbie     Grandkid pics to follow of course.

LITTLE MISS CLAIRE IS 11 MONTHS OLD AND GETTING TO BIG FOR HER OWN BRITCHES, LOL

SHE WAS LOVING THIS

ST. PATRICK'S DAY FUN

LOVE THIS

JUST HAD TO SHARE THIS LITTLE STORY WITH YOU.  MELODY TOOK LUKE LAST WEEK TO THE MOVIES TO SEE ZOOLOGY.  HE GOT MOMMY ALL TO HIMSELF.....SOMETIMES BEING THE "MIDDLE CHILD" WHEN THERE ARE 3 SOO CLOSE IN AGE IS A HARD PLACE TO BE AND THIS LITTLE TWO YEAR OLD WAS JUST NEEDING A LITTLE EXTRA ATTENTION SHE THOUGHT.  HE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT I GUESS, AND WAS JUST AS GOOD AS HE COULD BE AT HIS VERY FIRST MOVIE.  I WAS SOO HAPPY FOR LITTLE LUKE! AND SOO GLAD MELODY IS SENSITIVE TO HIS NEEDS.



AND THIS...LUKE'S EXPRESSION IS PRICELESS HERE



10 comments:

  1. The elephant is adorable, but I'd like to see the hedgehog : ) And your grandchildren are precious!

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  2. They do adore their little sister and she thinks they are mighty fine, too.

    Your husband is a peach. I know that that bobbin and the good advice was most appreciated. I had to laugh about the solution coming to you as you were falling asleep. I hate when that happens! =D I thought of missing blogs all night long.

    Oh I do love the animals...all adorable. And of the two bags for favors, I like them both, but the gray one is very pleasing to my eye.

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  3. Love all the animals, just so cute! And, the makeup bags, I'm telling you, you need a Etsy shop. :o)) That Sam, Luke and Claire are so precious!

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  4. I love those animals. They are just awesome. I am so glad how you shared about those directions. I always think it is me and I can't understand them, more often than not, it is the middle of the night when the solution comes to me. I love that Luke got some Mommy time. How sweet. He just looks adorable with his popcorn. The kids are getting so big so fast.
    I love those zipper bags. They really look great. I hope you have a great week Debbie.

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  5. Debbie:

    You really should be selling those little bags, especially because you probably think they are easy to make, not for me, but for you! :) You have limitless possibilities of fabric pieces to use, it doesn't take a lot, and your designs are so beautiful. I think these would be a big hit!!! And as always, I love the pics of your precious family!

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  6. You are doing so many wonderful things with the embroidery Debbie! I love the little plush toys!! The giraffe looks adorable and the pink muzzle makes it!!
    XO Kris

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  7. Debbie...I can't tell you how much I enjoy seeing things you've created. Color me...green with envy! ;) Your grandkids are precious!

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  8. Debbie
    You're amazing! How you get so...much done I don't know.
    There are only 24 hours in a day, aren't there?
    The grands are so sweet-love the photos!

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  9. Debbie,

    The your version of the giraffe is absolutely adorable and so is the owl! Your grandkids are cute :-D and they sure are lucky to have such a creative Grandma! God bless you :-)

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  10. Debbie,

    The your version of the giraffe is absolutely adorable and so is the owl! Your grandkids are cute :-D and they sure are lucky to have such a creative Grandma! God bless you :-)

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!